Testimonial: Mitchell's Memorial
We are always delighted to see how people around the world are using Let Your Love Grow to memorialize their loved ones. From potted plants to backyard trees, the possibilities are truly endless. Take a look at how one of our customers created a personalized, eco-friendly memorial using Let Your Love Grow.
"Our son Mitchell passed away from a very rare neurological condition at age 19. He was one-of-a-kind: smart, funny, kind, outgoing, spiritual, and handsome. His disease was also one a kind. It took doctors seven years to identify the genetic mutation which left him a deaf paraplegic. After his death in October of 2019, in honor of his battle, researchers named his illness, “Mitchell Syndrome.”
Mitchell’s legacy will live long in many ways. He leaves behind a bevy of friends and supporters whose lives he touched with his compassion and humor. Everyone who knew Mitchell walked away changed for the better. No one will forget him.
When it came time to decide how to memorialize Mitchell, we decided against a burial, for economic reasons. Mitchell wouldn’t want us to spend the money! We chose to plant a dogwood tree—also known as the “resurrection tree” for its Easter blossoms and cross-shaped flowers. My plan was to plant the tree in his cremains right outside his bedroom window, which I had converted to a music room. I wanted to sit in his former bedroom, listening to his favorite songs, looking outside his window and seeing Mitchell, alive and growing once again.
A little research revealed to me that human cremains are not good for plants and trees. (Who knew, right?) Bob Jenkins at Let Your Love Grow talked me through the proper way to convert Mitchell’s cremains into something good for the environment, and for the tree we planted in the front yard. After mixing the cremains and organic mix, the family gathered around the dogwood to share memories that we hope stay as alive as the tree growing outside his window. Then we buried our memories underneath the soil, hoping to let our love grow.
I’m grateful for Bob and for the expertise and compassion of the Let Your Love Grow team. We wait eagerly for Mitchell’s dogwood to bloom. And we hope patiently that we may see him again soon."
-Matt and Michele Herndon
Stories like this inspire our team each and every day as we continue our mission to give life back to the earth—even after death. If you’ve created your own living memorial with Let Your Love Grow, we hope you’ll share your story with us. Email info@letyourlovegrow.com and tell us about your loved one and the memorial you created. We’d love to publish it right here on our blog. To learn more about Mitchell's memorial and information about his disease, we invite you to read Matt's blog post and watch NBC's reporting on Mitchell.
