Heavy/ABC "American Idol" season 22 contestant Triston Harper and his mom Hattie.
On his way to earning a place in the Top 24 on “American Idol,” season 22 contestant Triston Harper, 15, has shared some of the hardships he’s experienced in his short life, from homelessness to domestic abuse. A viewer who was touched by his family’s plight, Oklahoma-based accountant Dave Shaw, reached out to Harper’s family after his audition aired in February to see how he could help.
“I did some pretty thorough research on their situation,” he told Heavy, wanting to make sure the emotional and financial struggles that the Alabama teen shared on the show were legitimate. “Everything he said was true, and that young man has been through things they haven’t even shared on TV.”
After a family member put him in touch with Harper’s mom, Hattie Sullivan, Shaw said she was stunned that a stranger would offer to help them make ends meet, but very grateful for the help. Initially, Shaw set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for a quality guitar and cowboy boots for Harper’s upcoming appearances on “Idol.”
“I’m a musician myself and I noticed that the guitar he was playing was not a good-quality guitar,” Shaw told Heavy, adding that as Harper has advanced on the show, donations have continued to come in from fans eager to help the family thrive.
As of April 5, 2024, the campaign had raised over half of an $8,000 goal. Shaw said Sullivan is using the donations “very wisely” on expenses associated with their travel and the show, and that both she and her son text him with updates on how things are going.
Triston Harper & His Mom Relieved Donations Can Help Them With ‘Idol’ Related Expenses
Harper was featured early on in the season 22 auditions, memorable not only for the grit in his voice, but also for the stories of his tumultuous upbringing and how proud he is of his Indigenous heritage as a member of the MOWA Band of Choctaw, per Native News Online.
“My mama wanted us to be something,” Harper said in an interview from his family’s home in McIntosh, Alabama, which aired during his audition. “That’s why I got into music.”
The teen tried out virtually for “American Idol” in August 2023, per AL.com, before sailing through the audition with the celebrity judges in nearby Tuskegee. His mom accompanied him to Hollywood Week in December, when he made it through to the Top 24, which was shown on the April 1 episode.
Harper then moved on to perform with the other 23 contestants in Hawaii in February. Those episodes will air on April 7 and 8, with viewers voting for the first time to decide who will move on to the Top 20.
Harper and his mom are now back in California, Shaw told Heavy, attending music lessons, rehearsals and to film segments in advance of the live shows. The necessary travel has required her to take off time from work, resulting in lost wages. And though ABC covers travel and lodging for contestants who advance, it doesn’t pay everything for family members, including parents or guardians of minors, Shaw said.
On March 22, Sullivan shared the GoFundMe campaign on Facebook and thanked Shaw in a separate post on March 30, calling him “God sent” and adding, “I will never forget how yah have helped me and my family. Thank yah so much from the bottom of my heart.”
Harper has also added the link to his Instagram bio, writing, “look for me on #americanidol Support my go fund me.”
At the time of publication, reps for “American Idol” had not responded to Heavy’s request for comment on how the show supports families who must travel to accompany a contestant who is a minor.
Triston Harper Shared That He & His Mom Slept on the Street When He Was 12
During the interview that aired as part of Harper’s “American Idol” audition, the 15-year-old singer somberly shared that he’d experienced many tough times during his childhood.
“You have your ups and downs, at least I did,” he told a producer during the interview. “By the age of 11 years old, my mom was with my stepdad. He was getting very abusive. We had to leave McIntosh. And everything, it went sideways just like that.”
The teen shared that when he turned 12, he and his mom were homeless, “sleeping on the sidewalk,” and that he still remembers “sitting and watching my mom cry at night and not knowing what to do.” Fortunately, Harper and his mom were eventually able to return to McIntosh.
Touched by his story, many fans have contributed to the GoFundMe campaign, including one who wrote, “Triston – talent like yours is the reason I watch American Idol. Your story is powerful and you deserve the very best for yourself and your momma. I’m rooting for you!”
Harper now hopes that his tough journey inspires others to keep their heads up through hard times.
“I just want folks to know that it don’t matter how hard it gets,” he told AL.com. “No matter how many problems you have, don’t never give up. There’s always that door out of whatever you’re going through.”
Shaw, meanwhile, is glad he could provide a little support to the teen and his family as they navigate this unexpected journey on national TV.
“He’s just a great kid,” Shaw told Heavy, “as humble as could be.”