Stranger gives teddy bear to boy, 5, in memory of her dead son

‘I’ve never felt so much kindness’: Mother is left ‘speechless’ after stranger gave her son, 5, who lost his father a teddy – as a way to honour her own late child

  • Chelsea Robinson was approached by a woman wanting to give her son a teddy
  • Stranger told the mother, of Manchester, that it was to honour the child she lost 
  • Five-year-old son Kian Hempenstall lost his father in a road accident this year

A young mother has revealed she was left ‘speechless’ by a stranger’s random act of kindness towards her grieving child.

Chelsea Robinson was shopping in Manchester city centre on Sunday afternoon with her five-year-old son Kian Hempenstall when they were approached by a woman holding two boxes.

After checking that Kian likes teddy bears, she handed over one of the Build A Bear boxes to the youngster.

She explained to Chelsea how she does the same thing each year to honour the child she lost – buying one for herself to keep and a second for a random child around a similar age to what her child would be now. 

The random act of kindness was even more special for young Kian, because he suffered tragedy himself this year, when his father died in a road accident in May.

Chelsea Robinson was shopping in Manchester city centre on Sunday afternoon with her five-year-old son Kian Hempenstall (pictured) when they were approached by a woman holding two boxes

Despite now living near Stoke-on-Trent, the mother told Chelsea she makes the annual trip to Manchester as that’s where her baby died. 

Sharing a photo of Kian and the mystery woman on Facebook, Chelsea, who lives in Fallowfield, said: ‘I’ve never felt so much kindness as we just received five minutes ago. To this wonderful lady, thank you.

‘We were just making our way across town when we were approached and Kian was asked if he liked teddy bears?

After checking that Kian (pictured with his mother and brother) likes teddy bears, she handed over one of the Build A Bear boxes to the youngster

After checking that Kian (pictured with his mother and brother) likes teddy bears, she handed over one of the Build A Bear boxes to the youngster

‘My natural response was, “well yeah but why?” And she explained that her baby would have been eight years old and every year she buys two bears and travels 70 miles to Manchester to gift one to a child of similar age that would have been her sweet baby, the other is kept by herself and the family.

‘After all we’ve been through this year, especially for my precious little Kian losing his dad, I felt we had such a connection, even in that brief moment. I believe that angels come around in a time of need and this certainly was that.’

Chelsea, who was separated from Kian’s father, didn’t ask the woman any details about the child she’d lost as she didn’t want to cause any upset.

She explained to Chelsea (pictured with her son) how she does the same thing each year to honour the child she lost - buying one for herself to keep and a second for a random child around a similar age to what her child would be now

Kian was given this teddy (pictured)

She explained to Chelsea (pictured with her son, left)  how she does the same thing each year to honour the child she lost – buying one for herself to keep and a second for a random child around a similar age to what her child would be now. Pictured right, the teddy

The 25-year-old, who also has an eight-month-old son Lake, said: ‘She just came over to us in Piccadilly Gardens and asked if Kian liked teddy bears. 

‘She already had them both in her hands and then she explained as to why she wanted to gift him a teddy bear.

‘We were extremely touched by the amount of kindness and love we felt from this lady. I instantly felt a connection when she explained to us why she wanted to gift Kian the teddy bear, given he has recently lost his daddy as well.

‘We were completely speechless and I just wanted to give her a big hug. Kian was excited about getting a new bear and he was so happy the whole way home, it will be something that we can keep and cherish forever.’ 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk