A MYSTERY guardian angel has saved a family’s precious keepsakes of their baby girl at the Albury lawn cemetery.
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Bailee and Joshua Smith are “completely overwhelmed” by the act of kindness that saw priceless mementoes returned to their daughter Lucy’s grave on the eve of the anniversary of her death this week.
The Thurgoona couple, both 29, and their six-month-old son Caleb had been away with family at a funeral in July and when they returned Bailee was struck down with a bad case of tonsilitis.
It was only then she noticed a letter on the fridge from Glenmorus Gardens reminding families to remove items from graves before July 6 ahead of a two-week site clean-up.
“I desperately rang my Nan, who lives in Norris Park, to see if she could collect the items from Lucy’s grave,” Bailee said.
“Nan, 82, went straight out but we were a day late and everything was gone.
Shattered, Bailee rang Joshua to tell him the news. That the few lasting reminders of their beautiful girl were lost forever.
A butterfly ornament, dream rock and sleeping angel statue bought overseas by Joshua’s parents and blessed in a church were gone.
Lucy was born at just 21 weeks on July 29, 2011 after a scan revealed complications arising from severe spina bifida.
“When you lose a baby you get hand and footprints, a birth and death certificate,” Bailee said.
“There is nothing left to hold on to so these little knick-knacks are all we have to represent her belongings.”
Bailee said staff at the cemetery had been sympathetic; one man had asked for Lucy’s name and went to check the graveside personally in case anything remained.
“We blamed ourselves as we received the letter well in advance and we were simply too late,” she said.
On Tuesday, Bailee’s nan went to the cemetery to place flowers at the graves of Lucy and other family members.
“Nan rang me in disbelief,” Bailee said.
“All the items had been returned to Lucy’s grave as they were prior to the clean-up.”
Other items and flowers had also been restored in the Garden of Angels.
Bailee said there were no words to describe their gratitude at this extraordinary act of kindness from a stranger.
“We have rung the cemetery and everyone we can think of who might have done this,” she said.
“Someone had the kindness in their heart to tend to these things and we are so grateful.
“We would like to thank him or her personally.
“It is reassuring to know there are good people in this world carrying out such wonderful acts of kindness.”