Samantha Hanson from Sandy, Utah, was a loving mom.
Her son, Milo, was her whole life, but one day, last October 2009, she received news that shattered her life.
She entrusted her little boy to her best friend’s boyfriend, the culprit, who shook her son to death.
Every day, for the past 13 years, Samantha has thought of Milo, her baby, who was robbed of the chance to live.
He was just nine months old. He was a happy baby that made each day special for his mother.
How does one cope with such painful loss?
As they say, you just learn to live with the grief, but it never really goes away.
Have you ever heard of ‘transitional objects?’
These are tangible items that can comfort the person grieving. It could be a piece of clothing, a blanket, a book, and, in Samantha’s case, a stuffed animal.
For the past thirteen years, to cope with Milo’s death, Samantha has taken her son’s favorite toy, “Ellie the Elephant,” with her.
She also sleeps, hugging the small stuffed elephant.
Last Monday, Samantha Hanson went golfing at the River Oaks Golf Course in Sandy. Then, she received a call that thieves broke into her car and taken her purse.
Alarmed, Samantha went to her car. She was looking for something much more precious than her purse, credit card, and ID.
Ellie the Elephant was in that bag.
“I instantly panicked because I know I keep my purse in there,” Samantha said to Fox 13.
According to the reports, the thieves smashed her car window and took her bag.
“I realized driving back they probably did get my purse and my cards and my wallet and everything else that was in there.”
While driving back to her car, Samantha also got a call from her credit card company.
They told her that someone tried to purchase using her card and it amounted to nearly $800.
However, her credit card was declined, but her debit card pushed through and they purchased items amounting to nearly $900.
Upon confirming everything that was stolen from her, Samantha’s heart sank as she realized that Ellie was indeed missing.
She can report her card, file complaints, and get copies of her ID, but Ellie is priceless.
“It just makes me feel, I don’t know, closer to my baby. He was only 9 months old. So, it was in his crib, and it plays a lullaby that I listen to,” said Samantha. “It’s even worse to imagine it’s in a trash can somewhere all alone.”
For her, that small stuffed animal is a reminder of her son.
She was so afraid that she’ll never see Ellie again. Maybe, the thieves threw it somewhere or burned it.
They even tried to check the surrounding area, hoping that maybe the thieves have tossed it somewhere nearby.
“Take it somewhere and I can pick it up or tell me what dumpster they put it in or something if anyone could tell me anything at all,” Samantha pleaded.
She asked the news authorities that reported the burglary to please look out for Ellie.
Samantha and her family are also offering a $2,000 reward for the person who could return Milo’s stuffed animal.
For Samantha, losing Ellie the Elephant felt like she lost her son all over again.
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