Grieving Son Finds Kindness When Trying to Print a Photo of His Mother Who Just Passed Away

A grieving son finds kindness in the hands of a small photo shop after the death of his mother. Jesse Robertson’s mother, Donna, had a huge passion for nature. So much so that she created a Sierra Nevada-inspired backyard in her own home after her love of the place. Nature was very much a part of her heart.

Donna passed away at 82 from ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), at home, surrounded by family and friends. “My mom epitomized unconditional love," Jesse, 47, says. "At times, I wasn’t always the easiest child to raise, and each day I work on sharing the patience she showed me with my own children as they continue to navigate growing up." It is clear that Donna meant so much to Jesse.

Jesse Was Able to Spend Time With His Mom in Her Last Days

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For Donna’s last 1.5 years of life, Jesse was able to come from his home in Minnesota, where he and his family live, to California every month to be with her. They would talk about the past and their thoughts on life. And she would say through her pain, “I’ve lived a great life. I’m just so lucky,” Jesse shares.

During one of these visits, Jesse saw a digital photo frame on the counter, and one of the photos caught his heart. It was a photo of his mom in the early 1980s, holding balloons in a space she called “Grandma’s Attic.”

He Knew the Photo Was Special Right Away

When Jesse saw the photo, he thought, “This is exactly how I want to remember my mom,” he shares. The 47-year-old felt that the photo embodied her spirit, beauty, and her attitude toward life. He took a picture of the image and looked at it often.

After Donna’s death, Jesse decided he wanted a framed version of the beloved photo. Both she and his dad deeply cherished the memory. What he thought would be a relatively easy task turned into something else.

He Wanted to Get the Image Printed Before He Went Home

Jesse’s goal was to get the image printed before he headed back to Minnesota. He tried to print it at home first, but the quality wasn’t what he wanted. He went to FedEx, UPS, and even Staples. Either they didn’t have the equipment, or the quality wasn’t there.

Disappointed, he sat in his car, looking up other places he could try. Then he found Mike’s Camera in Menlo Park, California, just a mile from where he was. He went to the store after talking to a man from the store on the phone.

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Jesse is At His Breaking Point

Although he was hopeful, he also had his doubts. When he got to the store, a man named Christian greeted him. Jesse explained what he needed, but Christian told him that they were backed up and the photo wouldn’t be ready for three days. “My heart sank," Jesse says.

At this point in the story, you can totally feel for him. Here he is in grief, trying to get something done, and not able to accomplish it. Often, when we are going through periods of stress, the littlest things not working out can push all that grief and sadness to the surface. 

The Grieving Son Finds Kindness at the Store

Jesse tried to keep himself together, but decided he was going to grab his photo and go.

Then, Christian stopped him and asked him what was wrong. Jesse told him the whole story through tears. "As I kept talking, I could see his eyes welling with tears, too," Jesse says. Christian ended up giving him a hug, telling him to hold on, and walking back to the printers.

The team at the photo shop dropped everything to help print out the photo for Jesse. They knew how much he really needed that. It took 30 minutes instead of three days, and he framed it right there on the counter. Once he got back home, he put it up in his living room to look at every day.

Jesse Shared His Story On TikTok

Jesse shared his story on TikTok, allowing others to hear about the kindness of others through a photo store. What Mike’s Camera offered Jesse was just a little bit of the kindness of Heaven, and something he will never forget.

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So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. - Galatians 6:10

WATCH: Grieving Son Finds Kindness in the Form of a Small Photo Shop

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h/t: PEOPLE

Featured Image Credit: TikTok/theparentexpress