There is nothing worse than grieving the death of someone’s child. To die so young seems tragic and cruel, and when the death is sudden it can be that much harder to move on. No one knows why people are taken too soon, especially these parents…
There is nothing worse than grieving the death of someone’s child. To die so young seems tragic and cruel, and when the death is sudden it can be that much harder to move on. No one knows why people are taken too soon, especially these parents…
Taken Too Soon
Raymond and Rachel grieved over the death of their son, Joseph, who was tragically killed in 2010. Joseph was a US Air Force staff sergeant who was just 36 years old when he died suddenly…
Forced to Let Go
All parents hope to outlive their children. To die before them would be insufferable after spending a majority of their lives caring for them. But sometimes, life has other plans, and that can be extremely devastating. The sudden loss of Joseph changed Raymond and Rachel’s lives forever in one very profound way.
Not a Day Goes By
Although they were getting older, Raymond and Rachel frequently visited their son’s grave. They laid flowers beside it often and sent him happy memories…
An Unexpected Surprise
However, as the weather got colder, Raymond and Rachel didn’t visit for a while. The next time they went back to Joseph’s grave, they couldn’t believe what they were seeing, and neither will you.
Sign of Life
The ground all over the cemetery was brown from the previous winter, and the weather wasn’t warm enough yet for the grass to grow back. But to Rachel and Raymond’s amazement, there was a beautiful green patch of grass in the cemetery, and it was right on Joseph’s grave…
How Could This Be?
The grass around Joseph’s grave was enough to make his parents burst into tears. They had no idea how this was possible…
The Miracle on the Grave
Rachel swore it was a miracle. How could only her son’s grave be so green and full of life? The answer to that miracle was Jake Reissig.
A Friendly Stranger
Reissig visits his wife’s grave every day, and he talks to her about their 64 years of marriage. He takes great care of her grave, because she was his first and only love. One day he saw a young woman in tears sitting in front of another grave nearby. Who was she?
Sharing Her Grief
Jake sat down with her and realized Joseph was her brother, and she said he was taken far too soon. Joseph was her only sibling and best friend through their entire lives. Jake understood her grief profoundly. But how could he help?
A Familiar Heartache
Jake and his wife were married for 60 years, and when she passed, he still felt like they hadn’t had enough time together. He couldn’t imagine how Joseph’s family must have felt since he was taken so young. He wanted to find a way to ease their pain…
Mending a Hole in Her Heart
When Jake visits his wife’s grave, he brings flowers and waters the grass. He didn’t want her grave to look dead and brown like the rest of the cemetery. This gave him another idea…
Another Grave to Tend
Each day when Jake watered the grass around his wife’s grave, he also tended to Joseph’s. He thought it was the least he could do for the grieving family. They never expected something like this to happen.
Deeply Touched
Whenever Raymond and Rachel visited Joseph’s newly green grave, they were sure that it was a miracle. After talking to Jake and their daughter, they learned who was behind the miracle, and they were incredibly appreciative…
Another Kind of Miracle
When they found out about Jake’s kindness, the Villasenor family thanked him. They let him know how kind it was of him to go out of his way to help their son when they never asked him to. Though it might not have been a miracle that the grass grew, it was a miracle that they’d found someone so kind.
The Exception
Rachel says that Jake is a one-of-a-kind person. Most people are too focused on themselves, but Jake recognized the Villasenor family’s suffering and did his best to take their pain away, no matter how much. It also helped him…
It’s the Little Things That Count
Jake says that helping Joseph’s family even in his small way made his own grief a little easier. He knows how hard the struggle is when a loved one dies, and he didn’t want anyone else to suffer. He understood that pain all too well…
Looking Down From Heaven
Jake said he knows his wife would have loved what he was doing for Joseph. She was a kindhearted woman herself, and Jake knows she is watching over him with a smile on her face for his good deed. This good deed of his did not go unnoticed…
Sharing Her Sincerest Gratitude
For Rachel, she knew just a simple “thank you” wouldn’t be enough to truly express how grateful she was for his kindness. Knowing someone cared about her son’s wellbeing significantly lessened the pain of her loss. Jake never expected her to thank him the way she did…
Paying it Forward
Rachel shared the news of Jake caretaking Joseph’s grave because she believed others deserved to know of his kindness. Though he never sought out any sort of reward, Jake was appreciative in return for their happiness. But Rachel took it upon herself to spread the word in hopes that people might pay it forward…
Kindness is Contagious
Joseph’s kindness spread like wildfire. Seven-year-old Addison Sharp rides her bike to her local cemetery and cleans up all the discarded flowers and litter that she sees. The reason for her kindness is surprising for someone so young…
Respect the Dead
Addison says it’s disrespectful for people to litter in a cemetary. And she’s not wrong. What was supposed to be an ordinary visit one day turned into something else for her entirely…
Spreading a Positive Message
It all started as a normal visit with her brother to the cemetery to visit the grave of one of his friends when Addison noticed all the trash on the ground. She knew she had to do something…
Random Acts of Cemetery Kindness
Though it might seem peculiar to provide random acts of kindness to a cemetery, the deeds won’t go unnoticed, especially to families who are grieving. It’s easier than you think to help out in small ways…
Take Notes While You Walk
One way you can help is by taking photos of gravestones for genealogists who live far away and are in need of specific records. Searching for death and cemetery records as well as wills is an easy way to help families in need. There are also more hands-on approaches…
Become a Tour Guide
Offering to conduct tours of cemeteries is a great way to educate locals on the history of your town’s cemetery, and teaching them the genealogical facts is a helpful tool they can use to locate their relatives.
Get Handy
As you walk, make a point to pick up pieces of broken headstones and place them at the gravesite where they belong so the caretaker can fix them. It would be upsetting to a family to see their loved one’s grave is broken and nobody bothered to put it back together.
Contact Your Local Veterans
Your local Veretan organizations can always use help with memorials. Offering to place flags on graves during major Veteran remembrance days will not only show your appreciation, but alleviate some tedious work for people who are aging.
Take a Restoration Workshop
If you know of a cemetery that is in decay or has been abandoned, contact your local government and let them know where it is. You can also take a restoration and preservation workshop so you can help with the project.
Good Deeds Don’t Go Unnoticed
No matter how big or small your contribution to your local cemetery might be – whether you pick up trash or tend to the grass, or take on large projects like restoration, families of the deceased will appreciate your efforts.