MYSTERY LETTER FROM ‘MUMMY’ RETURNS HOME
THE author of a mysterious letter that sparked a community-wide search online has been found.
Hope Island resident Rae Leone came forward yesterday after hundreds of people on social media and mainstream media told the story of a lost yellow envelope from “mummy” with the instructions “only open after my passing”.
It was left at Helensvale’s Dawn 2 Dusk Cafe.
Rae Leone, an aged care nurse who is in good health, said she wrote the letter in 2000 when her children were in their teens.
As someone who sees the effects death has on families, Ms Leone said she wrote a number of letters to ensure her family know how much they were loved.
“It is a love letter. They were just being such great kids at the time I wrote it, I wanted them to know how I felt about them at that particular time,” she said.
“Working in the aged care sector you are always aware of your end-of-life scenario.
“I was on my own and both my parents had passed on when I wrote it. I just thought if I go there isn’t going to be anyone to tell them how much I care.”
As a single mother, Ms Leone said the family unit relied on each other to get by.
“I was a single mum and they were just so great, they really cared about each other, I wanted them to know how proud I was.”
After putting the message of love away for safe keeping for over a decade, the envelope became wrapped in a few other items and was left behind while Ms Leone caught up with her daughter and one of her grandchildren.
“It was kept with my will, but I moved recently and it ended up at my daughter’s. She was returning it when it was left behind (at the cafe),” Ms Leone said.
The nurse said she was gobsmacked by the community effort online that helped return the note.
“I couldn't believe they cared so much,” Ms Leone said.
“I can’t thank the cafe staff enough, for the trouble they went through to find me.”