55 year-old mother uses Reborn Dolls to grieve the death of her daughter

From Ireland, we get a very sad story, that, however, shows us once again the healing power of Reborn Babies.

A very sad story…

Heather Ann Kirk, a young girl from Ulster, did not have an easy life. She was sexually abused since she was three and the abuse lasted for 12 years. When, at the age of 15, she took the courage to tell her mom, Janice Kirk, she could not believe her and, actually, she didn’t. 

For 8 years, Janice was denying reality, until finally, when Heather was already 23, Janice realised about the truth. The mother apologised and Heather and her tried to get a fresh start. They were working things through and slowly getting close again.

Unfortunately, Heather’s physical and mental health had been greatly affected by the horrible experience of the long-lasting abuse, and despite being admitted in a mental clinic for almost 12 months, doctors could not envision how she could completely recover and heal from it. 

After several previous attempts, at the age of 24 she could not see an exit to all her problems and fears, so she committed suicide.

Janice was full of guilt and despair

“It was all over. I felt I had let her down. I felt all those years of me not believing her ended in her death.I had wasted eight years not believing her and I think my doubt in her became another issue and a really hard one to deal with. We only had a year together after I understood the truth.”

And the Reborn Doll arrives

Three days after she passed away, Janice received an email confirming the availability of a Reborn Doll that Heather had ordered before she decided to end her life. As one of heather’s problems was that, due to the abuse, she was unable to have children, she had talked with her mother about the possibility of adopting a Reborn Baby. Janice did not know that she finally had made this decision and went forward with the purchase.

Supporting a cause with the Reborn Baby

Janice made the decision to use a reborn doll to honour Heather’s memory. Lexi, the lifelike baby, helps her to grieve the death of her daughter and, at the same time, assists her on her new cause.

Janice is now volunteering collecting funds for Survivors of Suicide Support Group. She takes Lexi for a stroll and talks to people, offering her support and sharing Heather’s story with them. She hopes that her new occupation could  help someone and that Heather’s death might actually prevent someone else from taking her life.

“I feel my Heather’s story will save a life one day. She couldn’t save herself and I couldn’t save her, but together now we might manage to save someone else.”