A grieving mother who visits her son’s grave almost every day is shocked when she finds baby toys there and learns an unexpected truth about her son’s life.
“A MUSICIAN? Have you lost your mind, Leonard?” Kenneth yelled when his son said he wanted to be a musician.
Leonard was 18 years old, just out of high school, and excited to follow his dreams. But his parents wanted him to be a lawyer, and Leonard did not want that job.
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He took a gap year after high school because he didn’t want to rush into career choices. During that time, he discovered that music was what he really wanted to do. But when he told his parents he wanted to be a musician, they were not happy.
“But what’s wrong with becoming a musician, Dad?” Leonard complained. “Many people follow their passion and become successful. I want to be one of them! I don’t want a boring desk job!”
“Listen, son,” his father replied. “I’ve made my decision clear, and I don’t want to repeat myself. You are going to be a successful lawyer like your grandfather and me. Is that understood?”
“There’s no way, Dad!” Leonard shot back. “You can’t force me to do something I don’t want to do! I want to follow my passion for music, and that’s what I’ll do!”
“But, honey,” his mother said. “Your father isn’t pressuring you. He just doesn’t want you to waste your time on something uncertain. Many people have big dreams, but only a few succeed. He cares about you and doesn’t want you to suffer.”
“Oh really, Mom?” Leonard snapped. “If he really cared, he would support me!”
“Calm down, Leonard. Remember you are talking to your parents!” his father warned. “If you want to make your own choices, then pay for your own university. If you stay with us, you have to listen and obey. Otherwise, leave!”
“Fine, Dad!” Leonard said. “I’ll prove you wrong one day. I don’t want to be your obligation anyway! I’ll make my own money and my own name!” With that, he walked away to his room.
His mother, Lily, urged him to calm down and talk later, but he was too angry. That evening, he packed his bags and left, vowing never to return.
Lily begged him not to go. She even tried to convince Kenneth to stop their son, but Kenneth was stubborn and refused to change his mind. Leonard was determined to prove his parents wrong, so he left home, cutting off all ties.
Three years went by without any contact between Leonard and his parents. Lily worried about him and called several times, but each call went to voicemail, and Leonard never called back.
One morning, while making breakfast, Lily’s phone rang. She quickly wiped her hands and answered it, but what she heard left her in shock.
It was a call telling her that Leonard had died in a motorcycle accident before reaching the hospital.
Lily broke down, unable to accept that her son was gone. “No way! That can’t be true! My son can’t be dead!” She cried loudly, which brought Kenneth rushing into the living room, stunned to see Lily on the floor, holding her phone and crying.
“Honey, what’s wrong?” Kenneth asked, worried. But Lily couldn’t speak.
Kenneth grabbed the phone from Lily’s hands. “Hello? Who is this?”
“This is Officer Duncan,” the voice on the other end said. “I’m sorry to inform you that your son, Leonard Williams, died this morning in a motorcycle accident. Please come to confirm the body. We found your number in his phone.”
Kenneth couldn’t believe it. “Are you sure it’s our Leonard? This can’t be happening…”
“We found this contact on the victim’s phone. It was listed as ‘Mom.’ You need to come and confirm the body. Thank you,” Officer Duncan said before hanging up.
Kenneth and Lily were heartbroken. They rushed from Chicago to Milwaukee, where the officer said Leonard’s body was, hoping it was all a mistake or a bad dream.
When they arrived at the morgue, they were devastated to see their son’s lifeless body. Lily cried on the floor, and tears streamed down Kenneth’s face.
The next day, Kenneth and Lily organized Leonard’s funeral in Milwaukee. They were too heartbroken to bring him back to their hometown, where their relationship had soured. The loss of their son put a strain on their marriage.
Kenneth became very quiet and drank heavily, blaming himself for being a terrible father. Lily, on the other hand, blamed Kenneth for kicking Leonard out.
In the days that followed, Kenneth couldn’t bring himself to visit Leonard’s grave. He felt guilty and couldn’t face his son. But Lily drove two hours to visit his grave every day.
One day, when she arrived, she saw a small teddy bear at Leonard’s grave. She thought someone must have left it by mistake, so she set it aside, placed her flowers, and sat down to talk to her son for a while.
However, when she returned the next day, the teddy bear was back, along with several other toys.
She was confused and wondered if someone was intentionally leaving them. She asked the caretaker if he knew anything, but he didn’t.
As she arrived at the cemetery, she noticed a young woman standing by Leonard’s grave, holding a baby. The woman’s eyes were closed as if she was praying. After a few minutes, she placed a toy near the grave and walked away.
Lily was curious and decided to approach her. “Excuse me,” she said. “Do you know my son? I saw you placing a toy at his grave. Have you been doing this for days?”
The woman looked surprised. “Are you Lily Williams? Leonard’s mother?”
“You know me?” Lily asked, wide-eyed.
“Yes, Mrs. Williams,” the woman said, tears welling up. “I’m Carrie. I’m Leonard’s girlfriend. And this baby is Henry, our son.”
Lily was shocked to see the baby, who looked just like Leonard! “But Leonard never…”
“I never imagined we would meet like this, Mrs. Williams,” Carrie said, struggling to hold back tears. “Leonard missed you a lot. He wanted to reconnect with you, but…” Carrie couldn’t continue as she started crying.
Lily comforted her, and they walked to a nearby park. Sitting down, Carrie shared the whole story.
Leonard had met Carrie while pursuing his music dreams. Due to a lack of money, he worked as a part-time waiter at a diner, where he met Carrie.
They moved in together, and more than a year later, Carrie got pregnant. Leonard was overjoyed! He wrote a song for their baby, which got attention even though it wasn’t a big hit.
That inspired him to pursue his music career more seriously, and he began reaching out to producers. But then tragedy struck when he was in an accident.
On that very morning, Carrie had gone to the hospital for labor pains. A neighbor had called for an ambulance for her, and she had no idea Leonard had been in an accident. She was unconscious for a few days after giving birth, and when she woke up, she learned Leonard had died.
Carrie couldn’t stop crying and began visiting his grave almost daily, leaving the toys that Leonard had bought for their child.
“I didn’t know what to do when I found out he was gone,” Carrie said. “The police tracked my address through Leonard’s driver’s license, and that’s how I found out. They said you and Mr. Williams planned the funeral in Milwaukee. I called the cemeteries until I discovered Leonard was here.
“I wanted to meet you but didn’t know how. Leonard loved you and promised that when he became famous, he would call you and his father so we could all be a family. But sadly, that didn’t happen.”
Lily couldn’t hold back her tears. She had lost her son and didn’t want to lose her grandson too. So she invited Carrie and Henry to move in with her, insisting they were part of her family.
Carrie hesitated at first but eventually agreed when Lily insisted.
That fateful day changed Lily and Kenneth’s lives for the better. Kenneth became a loving grandfather to Henry, and caring for the little boy helped Lily become more patient and understanding, improving their relationship.
Carrie felt lucky to have met Lily and Kenneth, who were wonderful grandparents to Henry. They even helped her get Leonard’s song published by a well-known label.
Henry, now five, is proud of his father’s music career and wants to follow in Leonard’s footsteps, with Lily and Kenneth fully supporting him.
Mom-of-5 obsessed with tanning was accused of “burning” her 6-year-old in a tanning booth
In 2012, Patricia Krentcil gained notoriety after being accused of endangering children. In fact, readers may be more familiar with her as “Tan Mom” due to her obsession with frequenting tanning salons and spending time in the booth five days a week.
Eventually, Patricia came dangerously close to passing away because to the contentious condition known as tanerexia, which occurs when a person doesn’t recognize or accept how much color they have. Though she continues to visit the salon, she is now doing much better.
“Tan Mom” has endured a lot over the past ten years. Here is how she seems right now!
Obsession with anything, whether it be eating, shopping, television shows, or anything else, is rarely a beneficial habit to form. Of course, some things are worse for your health than others, but ultimately, it’s important to understand the long-term effects an obsession may have on one’s life.
It’s usually a good idea to see someone if you ever feel like something is starting to dominate your life or that you are placing an obsession above other crucial aspects of your regular existence. Try speaking with a friend or getting support from a counselor.
Patricia Krentcil – ‘Tan Mom’
Patricia Krentcil’s fascination propelled her to internet stardom. She began tanning when she was younger, and it soon became to be a significant part of her life. When Patricia went on trial for bringing her daughter to a tanning parlor in 2012, she instantly became an internet sensation. Although she was never found guilty, her name was already well-known.
She now tans more healthfully, but her time spent in the booth had a significant impact on her life and appearance.
When Patricia was only 23 years old, she developed a tanning fetish. According to the owner of City Tropics Tanning Salon in Nutley, New Jersey, the New Jersey woman averaged five visits each week for a maximum session length of 12 minutes. She paid $100 a month for an unlimited package.
“I’ve been tanning my whole life, going to the beach, tanning salons and so forth,” she said.
However, it wasn’t her tanning that originally made her a household name online. Her image was widely shared online in 2012, but for a completely different cause.
Krentcil was accused with endangering children in May 2012. According to authorities, she put her 6-year-old kid in a stand-up tanning booth, causing burns, as CBS New York reported.
Charged after brining daughter tanning
Patricia, though, asserted that everything was a massive misunderstanding. She was adamant that she would never take Anna, her daughter, to the salon.
“No not at all, not at all, not whatsoever,” Krentcil said.
However, the Nutley Police Department detained Krentcil and accused him of endangering children. The toddler allegedly received a minor burn in the tanning salon where she had taken Anna with her, according to the authorities.
According to ABC, New Jersey law prohibits anyone under the age of 14 from using a tanning bed. Teens older than 14 could visit salons, but only with permission from their parents.
In Anna’s case, the controversy began when a school nurse happened to ask Anna how she had gotten burned, to which the girl answered: “I go tanning with mommy.” Patricia, though, claimed that Anna had been burned after playing outside in their backyard.
“There’s not room… I would never permit it… It didn’t happen,” Krentcil said.
“She’s 6 years old. Yes, she does go tanning with mommy, but not in the booth,” she added. “The whole thing’s preposterous!”
Patricia at that moment earned the moniker “Tan Mom” in the media. Patricia’s face was on newscasts and in newspapers all around the world after the purported incident went viral online.
“They just don’t realize just how much color they have”
Additionally, it clarified the contentious condition known as tanorexia, in which a person develops a dependence on and obsession with tanning.
“When you look at this, this is somebody who has a problem which most likely has a condition called tanerexia, where they just don’t realize just how much color they have,” New York dermatologist Doris Day told ABC News.
“There’s really no excuse to take a young child to a tanning salon,” she added.
“We often consider going to a tanning salon the equivalent of smoking for the skin and the younger you start, those effects are cumulative.”
Health professionals concurred that Patricia’s situation was quite serious. Dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner thought it was one of the craziest situations he had ever encountered.
“In all my years of treating patients as a dermatologist, I have never encountered anything like this,” Zeichner said.
“Going to a tanning salon 20 times a month, frankly, is insane, especially with all of the public education and awareness campaigns on the dangers of tanning beds and skin cancers.”
“It may be she has an [obsession with] tanning, which actually now has a name – tanorexia. She may need help to treat not only the damage to her skin but also what is going on with her psychologically,” he added.
‘Tan Mom’ faced up to 10 years in prison
The Skin Care Foundation claims that people who use indoor tanning equipment have a four-fold increased risk of developing melanoma. Sunbeds emit 12 to 15 times more UV radiation than the sun, according to the foundation.
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