On what seemed to be an ordinary Thursday, one woman’s entire world turned upside down.
While shopping one day, Linette noticed a man at the store who had a hard time calming his young daughter down. The little one was throwing a tantrum and her dad was completely helpless.
As the screaming wouldn’t stop for another minute or two, Linette decided to approach and offer to help. She was good with children, because she had a daughter herself, but she passed away five years prior. The father, exhausted and visibly weighed down by more than just parenting stress, explained that it had been a tough year for him and his daughter after his wife had left them.
Linette told him not to worry, handed the little girl a box of cereal, and soon her sobs started to slow down as she clutched the box tightly. At that moment, Linette’s heart started pounding. The girl was wearing a custom silver bracelet with a little cross in the middle. It was exactly the same as the one Linette buried with her daughter who died of leukemia.
The similarity was too striking to be just a coincidence.
But how could a stranger’s daughter have that bracelet, Linette couldn’t stop wondering. She was confused and wanted answers, but the store wasn’t the place where she could find them so she said “goodbye” and continued shopping. However, she was unable to get rid of the feeling that there was more to uncover.
Over the following days, Linette kept thinking of the bracelet so she decided to do some research. As she was going through the internet, she stumbled upon an article about the funeral director who had handled her daughter’s service. He was involved in a scandal when he was caught stealing and selling personal items of the deceased to unsuspecting buyers. Learning this, Linette was positive the bracelet the girl wore belonged to her Emily.
It took some time, but Linette was able to reach the girl’s father, Bob. She explained everything to him and told him how much that piece of jewelry meant to her. Bob was very understanding and sympathetic. He agreed to return the bracelet to her and offered to help her build a case against the funeral home. It turned out he was a lawyer and was happy to represent her case in court.
Linette and Bob met many times, gathering evidence for their case. Bob’s daughter was present at some of the meetings and Linette loved her presence. She reminded her of Emily.
When the day of the trial finally arrived, they entered the courtroom determined to win the case. The judge ruled in their favor, ordering a formal apology and a significant settlement from the funeral home. As the verdict was read, Linette felt relieved. She knew justice was served for her sweet girl.
Over time, Linette and Bob formed a strong bond. What started as a strange coincidence blossomed into a start of a new family.
The silver bracelet that once served as a symbol of loss, became a representation of a new chapter for Linette.