Valarie Watts went through the heartbreaking experience of delivering her stillborn son in July. In the hopes of coping with her grief, she decided to sell off most of the items she had bought to prepare for bringing her son, Noah, home.
During her yard sale last month, Valarie couldn’t bring herself to part with the white crib. Despite this, a retired man named Gerald Kumpula noticed it and insisted on buying it.
Upon discovering that Gerald, 75, was skilled at crafting benches from used headboards and footboards, Valerie ultimately agreed to sell it to him.
Valarie felt a sense of peace knowing that the crib would be repurposed into something beautiful. She let it go for just two dollars.
When Gerald’s wife, Lorene, saw the baby clothes at the sale and inquired about Valarie’s son’s age, a heartfelt conversation ensued, and Valarie shared her tragic story.
On their way home, Lorene shared Valerie’s story with Gerald. With fifteen children and several grandchildren of their own, the Kumpulas understood the significance of the crib to Valerie. They returned a week later with a bench that they had crafted from the crib.
Valarie placed the bench in her living room, a place that holds memories of her son, Noah.
She expressed, “I’m relieved that it’s being put to good use. Now I can sit on it, cuddle his bear, and remember him whenever I need to.”
In the final days of her full-term pregnancy, Valerie had noticed reduced movement from the fetus. On July 22, during a cesarean section, Valarie and her fiancé, Jimi Hamblin, learned that Noah was not breathing. Valarie survived, and doctors attributed Noah’s passing to umbilical cord constriction.
The Kumpulas empathized deeply with Valarie’s pain as they had experienced the loss of their first grandchild, who was stillborn.
Gerald remarked, “An abandoned crib is a poignant reminder, but a bench serves as more of a memorial. It’s a tangible link to that tragic event, but it’s not an empty crib.”
Gerald kindly declined Valarie’s offer to pay for the bench, stating, “Being able to help someone is gratifying. It feels good to help others.”
Valarie and Hamblin are planning to get married in the fall, and they have a 7-year-old daughter named Nevaeh. Valarie shared that the bench, placed next to a corner bookcase adorned with photos, footprints, handprints, and Noah’s ashes, is aiding her in coping with her loss.
As a babysitter, Valarie said, “Even though he’s not here, I feel comforted by his presence when I’m sitting in it.” Everything exudes a calming “it’s okay” energy. When feeling down, I can sit on the bench and find solace, knowing that everything will eventually be okay.
