KIND GESTURE OF A GRIEVING MUM
IT WAS a poignant act of kindness that struck a powerful chord with one randomly chosen woman – after she was handed a card by a complete stranger in the street.
Tammi Bennett was out walking on January 26 when she was approached by a woman she had never met before.
In a brief encounter, the stranger presented Tammi with an envelope and insisted she have a “lovely day” before walking off.
Curious about what was inside, Tammi opened the envelope – and discovered a card with a handwritten message and a £10 note.
A message inside the card revealed the heartbreaking reason behind the woman’s mysterious gesture. The note explained that the stranger, who signed the card only as “Jason’s Mum”, had delivered the card on what would have been her son’s 28th birthday.
Jason’s mum said her son had sadly passed away from SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death In Epilepsy) – which is when a person with epilepsy dies suddenly and prematurely.
The card’s author explained that she had just one request – that whoever received the card bought a birthday cake with the money enclosed.
In the poignant card, Jason’s mum wrote: “My son loved birthday cake, actually he liked most cakes,
“Please buy a cake and enjoy it with your family, cake is good any day of the year, not just on a birthday.”
In a tribute to her son, Jason’s mum also wrote a touching reminder: “Family is so important, spending time with family is such a precious GIFT!”
Deeply touched by Jason’s mum’s words, Tammi, who is from Barry, in the Vale of Glamorgan, said the message had left her feeling “emotional” because she herself had been having a bad day.
Sharing the story on Facebook, she wrote: “Really made me emotional, and made me realise not everyone knows how lucky they are to have family who they can spend time with.
“It’s amazing what this lady is doing, keeping his memory alive by doing such a selfless deed to random people like me on the street, really cheered me up.”
Tammi also shared a picture of a birthday cake she had bought in memory of Jason, writing: “We did indeed buy a cake, shared it with the family and wished Jason a happy 28th birthday.”
The Facebook post has since been shared by thousands on social media, with many sending birthday wishes in Jason’s memory.
The post has even reached Jason’s mum, who has been in touch with Tammi to thank her for honouring her son’s memory.
Although she didn’t wish to be named, Jason’s mum shared with us that he sadly passed away in January 2020, aged 25 as a result of SUDEP.
She hopes to raise awareness of Sudep as it affects approximately one in every 1,000 people with epilepsy and its cause it currently unknown.
To find out more about SUDEP, visit https://sudep.org