Rock Fairy spreading joy in Grand Bank
A simple act is inspiring others
GRAND BANK, N.L. - Jada Matthews has no doubt who was behind a visit she received from the Rock Fairy.
“Probably my daddy in Heaven,” the eight-year-old told The Southern Gazette during an interview at her home in Grand Bank.
The young girl’s father, Jeffery Matthews, passed away on June 24, 2018 in Calgary, Alta. He was 38.
Jada now lives with Matthews’ aunt, Dawn Perry, and her husband, Travis, who gained custody after her father’s death.
She explained that on the morning the rock was found her Uncle Travis had asked everyone to go outside.
“I was very excited because we found the rock, and it says ‘Jada’ by the wings of love.”
Jada said it was awesome to receive a rock from the Rock Fairy, “because rocks look very nice with paintings on them.”
Dawn Perry explained the rock found outside their home three weeks ago could not have come at a better time for the young girl.
“Jada’s been having a difficult time ... she has been having a bit of a rough time with Jeffery’s passing,” Perry said. “So at the time that the rock came, it had happened that she had had a rough couple of weeks.”
When the young girl discovered the Rock Fairy was leaving rocks around town, she assumed she would be given one.
Why? “Because she wanted one,” Perry said.
The couple told Jada the rocks were only being left at businesses in the town, “then out of the blue one shows up at our door.”
Perry said the person who left the rock for Jada doesn’t know what the small gift has meant to her.
“She thinks that the rock was a sign from Heaven and that Daddy told the Rock Fairy to send the rock,” Perry said as she wiped away tears.
“She truly thinks that it was a sign from above, and that he is looking over her and it was just a reassurance for her of what could possibly be.
“Whoever did this would have no idea how much joy that it brought to here when it came, because the person that did it hadn’t known the couple weeks that we had punched leading up to it.”
Perry is thankful for the act of kindness.
“Someone took the time to do this for Jada, it’s amazing, no words can describe it.”
The rock has found a permanent home on the family’s mantle next to a picture of Jeffery. ‘It certainly boosts morale’ Michelle Hollett of Grand Bank found her rock after returning home from the funeral of a lady she worked with for two-and-a-half years as a homecare provider
“When I came home from the funeral it was sitting on my step,” she explained. “No one will ever know how much that rock meant to me. It made me smile.”
Hollett added she loves what the rocks have done for the community,
“I think it’s a great thing to do. It certainly boosts morale,” she said. “People look forward to getting them.”
The person behind the rocks, who was dubbed by the community as the Rock Fairy, came forward in a post on Facebook earlier this month.
“It started out that I didn’t want to be known,” admits Rock Fairy Lisa Hiscock in a telephone interview. “It wasn’t for praise or anything like that, I just wanted to share some smiles, and some good thoughts and that’s why I did it anonymously.”
She made the post after noticing others in the community were starting to paint rocks and leave them for others.
“Some of those rocks are really good, too, so I didn’t want to take the credit for something I didn’t do,” she said.
Hiscock had hoped others would be inspired to help share the joy.
“It was nice, because like (they) always say the most universal language is love, and this is what was happening.”
Diagnosed with leukemia last year, she said rock painting helps her focus on something else.
“I like to paint and do different things as well,” she explained. ”painting is one of the most relaxing hobbies that I do have. When I’m busy, my mind is busy, and in the process it’s helping so many people.”
She said her reward was thinking of the smile on each finder’s face. She also confesses enjoying the mystery she created.
“It was pretty awesome to be called the Rock Fairy, though, I have to say,” she said. “I’ve been called a lot of things in my life but the rock fairy is probably the best ever.”