Valerie Watts was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her baby, Noah. However, her joy turned to heartbreak when Noah was stillborn after his umbilical cord became crushed in the womb.

“I had known all week,” Watts recalled. “He was less active than usual. I was extremely tense.”

Struggling with grief, Watts kept Noah’s crib as a painful reminder of her loss. During a garage sale, Gerald Kumpula, a local craftsman, showed interest in the crib, mentioning he made benches. Though hesitant, Watts eventually sold it, unaware of Kumpula’s plan.

After learning about Noah’s story, Kumpula transformed the crib into a beautiful bench and returned it to the Watts family.

“I began crying right away,” Watts said. The bench now serves as a comforting reminder of Noah and the love that remains.