Follow US Immigration and Life in the US: “Let him see the mountains he never climbed, the vast oceans that would surely fascinate him, distant tropical beaches, and the earth.” This is not a line from a beautiful poem, but a simple request from a mother. An American mother, Hallie Twomey, lost her son C.J. Twomey three years ago. In her home in Maine, the black urn of her son has already been removed from the shelf.
This mother wrote the opening text on Facebook to assist her deceased son in fulfilling his adventurous dreams, asking strangers to help scatter her son’s ashes across various locations.
It has been reported that C.J. took his own life with a gunshot in front of his home over three years ago at the age of 20.
Hallie, C.J.'s mother, stated: “I do not want him to remain in the urn with us for the rest of our lives due to our selfishness.”
Hallie’s post was shared by nearly one hundred friends, and soon strangers began to respond, offering to help Hallie scatter C.J.'s ashes in their hometowns, at their family vacation destinations, or in any beautiful place.
Subsequently, Hallie set up a Facebook page titled “Helping Scatter C.J.'s Ashes,” which garnered over 2,000 likes.
Every photo and video on the page illustrates where C.J.'s ashes have landed, such as beaches in Massachusetts, forests in Jamaica, and rocky cliffs in Hawaii.
In addition to the well-packaged ashes, Hallie also included a note and a small photo of C.J. for those who helped her fulfill this wish. In the photo, C.J. is wearing a Boston Red Sox jersey and sporting sunglasses.
Hallie asked kind-hearted individuals who agreed to help her scatter the ashes to do four things: first, to think of C.J. while scattering the ashes; second, to think of those who have been given a new life due to C.J.'s organ donations; third, to tell C.J. that his parents love him very much; and fourth, to express how sorry his mother is to him.
Reports indicate that Hallie broke down in tears while reminiscing. She said that after a quarrel with C.J., he rushed out of the house and took his own life moments later in a car parked outside. Hallie mentioned that she regretted giving C.J. a cold shoulder instead of embracing him tightly.
Hallie remarked that C.J. loved extreme sports like skydiving and had been frustrated for not becoming a member of the United States Air Force Special Forces. She stated that after C.J. honorably discharged, he was uncertain about what to do next, but she never imagined her son would do something so rash.
C.J.'s ashes were sent to Haiti and India last week, and some people are also planning to take his ashes to Mount Everest. Currently, approximately 150 bags of ashes have been scattered around the world, with 300 people offering to share their journeys with C.J.
Hallie expressed her intention to compile the letters and photos sent to her by those who have scattered C.J.'s ashes into a book, donating the proceeds to the New England Organ Bank.
Hallie stated that many individuals who assisted in scattering C.J.'s ashes have also experienced the loss of children to suicide or the loss of beloved children. She expressed that she cannot repay their kindness.
