Some parents experience the devastation of losing a child. While the situation in itself is absolutely heartbreaking, there are those who have to undergo even more grief when faced with difficult situations while trying to cope.
Some parents experience the devastation of losing a child. While the situation in itself is absolutely heartbreaking, there are those who have to undergo even more grief when faced with difficult situations while trying to cope.
Ashley explained that her daughter was born with a genetic abnormality that causes, "low muscle tone, epilepsy, delay in eye contact, delayed development, and an array of other things."
Doctors told the couple that their daughter wasn't going to make it.
"We knew her time was near. We had our whole family come and visit her. The next day, around 3:30 in the morning, her dad and I held onto her while she took her last breath."
The same day that Ashley said goodbye to her daughter, she received a hurtful Facebook message.
She thought it would be adorable for her other daughter, Carmen, to do this with her little sister.
The event allowed children to make a bear for the same price as their age. So, a six-year-old would pay just $6 for their bear, which usually retails for around $15 and up.
This year, parents had to sign up to win tickets to the event, which could then be redeemed in stores. Ashley had signed her daughters up for the tickets.
"I waited a few days before I asked if we could still use it for my girls even though one was now my angel baby. I explained how she unexpectedly passed the day we received them. It felt like the perfect thing to do in order to honor and remember her."
According to Ashley, the message said:
"Thank you for reaching out and for being our Guest. We are so sorry for your loss. This is designed to be an in-store experience for our Guests. Therefore, the Guest must be present to pay their age. ... Our thoughts are with you and we are sending Bear Hugs your way."
"They told me I couldn't because 'the guest must be present.' That was their response when I told them my daughter passed. Their words shattered me. I chose to not respond."
"Eventually, Build-A-Bear reached out to me via Facebook, and their CEO called me to apologize how the post was handled and offered to have Carmen come in and make a special bear for herself and Dahlia. But honestly, after everything that happened, the bear lost its meaning to me."
"Our CEO has spoken directly with the mother, Ashley Guevara, and expressed our regret for our original online response."
"We are working with the family to find a time when they can visit our store for a personal—and hopefully special—complementary experience at a time that is convenient for them."
If a mom loses her child, the last thing anyone should do is respond without any sensitivity.
It's an important reminder for everyone, not just companies, to keep in mind.