Woman searches for donated stuffed cat with father’s ashes

AGAWAM, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) -In Agawam, a woman is asking for the community’s help, after her husband accidentally donated an item with sentimental value to her family.

Mary Kirk said in one of the tote bags her family brought to Savers in West Springfield, there was an Orange tabby cat from Build-a-Bear. But this cat is irreplaceable, as inside it, there is a small vial of her father’s ashes. Now, she’s hoping our viewers can help her track it down.

“This cat is really special,” said Kirk.

Kirk is asking for the community’s help, getting back a stuffed animal her husband accidentally donated to savers in Agawam. she said she and her husband are getting ready to move South.

“So we’ve been going through, filling boxes and just bringing tons on totes to Savers,” said Kirk.

But on Monday morning, her husband donated five totes and thought a pile of stuffed animals was set to go with them, but it wasn’t. And in that pile, a stuffed tabby cat that is irreplaceable to the family.

“It’s not the cat, it’s the fact that my father had bought the cat for my 22-year-old son when he was little,” she explained.

Kirk’s father, Paul Mellinger, passed away nearly four years ago, On March 31, 2018.

“We took some of my fathers in ashes a little bottle and we had it put inside so that way part of my father would always be with my son,” Kirk said.

She said her son was named after her father and they even gave him his last name to carry on their family name.

“He’s the only grandson that my dad had and they were really really, really close,” she said.

Kirk said she’s been in touch with savers all week and employees are keeping their eye out, but so far it hasn’t turned up.

“It’s a tabby cat. I think they’re like 15 inches…Orange, has white face, white on the paws…If it has been sold, nobody knows what they have,” she said.

If you believe you may have purchased the cat, please contact us at tips@westernmassnews.com.

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