After being handed an envelope by a stranger on the street, a British woman was stunned by its contents. Inside the envelope were a handwritten card and some money, requesting her to buy a cake in memory of the writer’s late son’s birthday.
Tammi Bennett, 19, had just picked up her cousin from school on Jan. 26 when a woman she had never met before approached her on the street. Bennett, a sales advisor from Barry in Wales, UK, was at first confused.
“I honestly didn’t know what to think,” she told The Epoch Times. “She sprayed [the envelope] with antibacterial spray and just handed it to me, told me to have a good day, and left.”
Opening the handwritten card, Bennett was moved to read the woman’s message.
“To You,” read the card. “Today would have been my son’s 28th birthday. Sadly he was lost to SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy).
“My son loved birthday cake,” the message continued. “Please buy a cake and enjoy it with your family. Cake is good any day of the year, not just on a birthday.”
Signed off by Jason’s mom, it included a line on family: “Family is so important, spending time with family is such a precious GIFT.”
Along with the handmade card, Bennett also found a 10-pound (approx. US$13.60) note in the envelope. “It honestly made my day,” said Bennett. “I was having a tough day, so receiving that card really was a heartwarming feeling.”
Touched by the gesture, Bennett immediately contacted her mother and read out what was written on the card.
“I was emotional but happy that I was the one who received the card,” she reasoned, “as not many people would buy the cake and [might] just keep the money for themselves.”
The 19-year-old and her family then went straight to a local Morrisons store and picked out their favorite birthday cake, “vanilla traybake,” to enjoy together.
Bennett found the bereaved mother after the post and reconnected with her. The stranger wishes to remain anonymous, but Bennett told The Epoch Times, “She’s so lovely! We talk quite a lot lately.”
“I didn’t know anything about it until I received the card,” she explained. “I’ve made myself more aware, and I hope the post that went viral made more people aware of it, too.
Bennett states that Jason’s mom just wants to keep his memory alive, and now she wants to do the same.
