View 3 slides

She Sold Her Late Son’s Crib at a Yard Sale — A Week Later, the Buyer Came Back With This

A week after selling the crib, Melissa heard a knock at the door. Standing there was the same young woman who had bought it, holding the delicate white cradle in her arms. Her face was pale, her eyes glistening, and her voice trembled as she began to speak. She explained she hoped she wasn’t intruding, but that there was something Melissa needed to take back. Melissa felt her chest tighten, her mind racing through possibilities. Then the woman reached into her bag, pulling out something painfully familiar…

When Melissa set the delicate macramé crib out on the driveway that Saturday morning, she thought she was ready. The white weave swayed in the breeze, sunlight catching on its knotted patterns. It had belonged to her son, Evan. He’d only slept in it for a few short months before a sudden illness took him.

For nearly two years, the crib had sat untouched in the corner of her bedroom. She’d walk past it every day, each glance reopening the ache. Selling it felt brutal, but necessary.

By mid-morning, a young woman stopped at the sale. She was clearly pregnant, one hand resting protectively over her belly. She ran her fingers along the crib’s soft netting. “It’s beautiful,” she said quietly. Melissa forced a smile, named a low price. The woman’s husband loaded it into their car, thanking her as they drove away.