Losing a loved one is one of the hardest things that anyone has to go through. When you lose someone that you care about, it’s as if a small piece of you leaves with them. This family had lost someone that they loved more than anything, but when they received a visit from a new friend, they became convinced that their loved one wasn’t gone, yet!”They talked many times with Grandma, lightheartedly, even jokingly,” Angela Abbott Patteson, Booth’s granddaughter-in-law, explained to The Dodo. “‘Hey, when you get to heaven, see if you’re able to send a sign that you’re there, and that you’re happy.’ She would say, ‘I’ll see what I can do!’ They said, ‘Send a cardinal!’ Because that was one of Grandma’s favorite birds.”
It all started when they sat down to play Dorothy’s favorite game when they heard a noise at the kitchen window. “My father-in-law went outside and saw it was a cardinal. It was just sitting there, completely alert and calm — nothing wrong with it. He was able to approach it and pick it up. He brought it in the house. [Debbie and Jeanne] were just ecstatic. They were taking pictures and crying and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, it really happened!’” explained Patterson.
They would soon realize that setting this bird free wasn’t going to be easy. “They tried to release it, but the bird turned around and landed on her shoulder. They were in sheer delight that that happened,” said Patterson.
The bird sat for a while before quietly flying away. “This has brought so much comfort to them, to have this prayer answered. They knew that it was from God. To have this happen has been so comforting. It’s really helped my mother-in-law and her sister. This was definitely an answer to prayers,” explained Patterson.
**Losing someone you love is never easy, but receiving small signs to remind you them can make things a little bit better.**