Scared Young Mom Finds Old Crib on Her Doorstep with Envelope Inside — Story of the Day

When Alice discovered an old crib on her doorstep one morning, she was terrified, because nobody knew she didn't terminate her pregnancy except her. Out of curiosity, the young mother shook the crib a little, and suddenly an envelope fell to the ground.

Alice got pregnant when she was 18, but the baby's father refused to take responsibility for the child. "You have to terminate the pregnancy Alice or forget about me," he stated emphatically.

"But Chris," Alice insisted, "this is our child. How can you think like that?"

"OUR CHILD?" Chris laughed. "It's just a mistake, honey. We never planned on having a child, so you either get rid of the child, or you know what's going to happen."

That day, Alice summoned the courage to choose her child over her so-called lover, but as her due date approached, she began to wonder if she should keep the baby to herself.

The young woman had lost her parents in a fire that engulfed their house when she was young, so she was raised by her grandparents. But when they went to their eternal home, she was left with an empty house and no one to look after her.

When she gave birth to her daughter Ava, she considered putting her in a nursing home, but a compassionate nurse persuaded her to keep the baby. "It'll be fine, dear," the nurse assured her. "It may seem difficult at first, but once you hold your baby, you'll never want to leave it alone."

Well, the nurse was right. When Alice first held Ava in her arms, she couldn't imagine leaving her alone. The baby's pink lips, cute tiny hands, and gleaming eyes convinced her that having her was the best decision she could've made.

However, once she was discharged from the hospital, she was distressed about taking care of the child. All her savings were exhausted after her delivery, and since Ava was premature and placed in the NICU, she would still need money to pay the hospital bills.

So Alice soon started applying for jobs, but as a recent graduate with no work experience on her resume, she struggled to find work and eventually had to take a part-time job at a restaurant. The job wasn't paying her much, but she could at least afford Ava's bills.

One day, she was about to leave her home for work when she found an old crib on her doorstep. Who could have sent it? She wondered. Except for her, nobody knew that she did not terminate her pregnancy and decided on raising Ava alone.

She stood at the doorstep for a while and thought again. Is it possible that it's someone from the hospital or the restaurant? She had once asked the restaurant manager for extra money, explaining that she was a young mother who needed to pay her daughter's bills.

But as Alice attempted to move the crib inside, suddenly an envelope fell to the ground. On top there was an address. "Mrs. Perkins, 50 Oakland Ave, #206, Florida," the address read. Alice opened the letter and began reading.

"Dear Alice," the letter began. "You don't know me, but I know you. I had seen you talking to the nurse at the hospital when you were admitted for delivery. When I learned you were a teenage mom who chose to raise your child alone, I was reminded of my daughter."

"She was just 16 when she got pregnant," the letter continued. "My husband and I both advised her to terminate the pregnancy, but she refused. My husband became enraged and ejected our daughter from the house.

"Sadly, her child was stillborn, and she couldn't bear the pain. According to the doctors, she did not take proper care of herself, and as a result of her carelessness, the child died. Well, I don't think they were wrong. My daughter was having a hard time after we kicked her out. I used to send her money, but my husband found out one day.

"After that day, I never heard from her. The only time I was notified was when we got a call from the police station that she had committed suicide. If only we had supported her, she would be with us today. I bought this crib for her on her first month's birthday, and it's very special to me.

"You reminded me of my daughter, so I thought of helping you. I know the crib is old, but I'll be honest, I had saved it for my grandchild. Unfortunately, I never had one. So, if you accept this, I'll be extremely happy. Love, Mrs. Perkins."

Alice was in tears as she finished reading the letter. She felt terrible for Mrs. Perkins and decided to meet her the next day.

It turns out the elderly lady had lost her husband two years before, and her health was failing her. She was a frequent visitor of the hospital and overheard Alice and the nurses talking while she was there for a routine check-up. What's more, the hospital Alice was admitted to turned out to be Mrs. Perkins' late husband's.

"I had no idea your baby was premature," Mrs. Perkins said. "I will tell them to waive the fees."

"Oh, no, Mrs. Perkins, it's fine. I can manage," Alice said shyly.

"But Alice," Mrs. Perkins stated emphatically, "how do you intend to care for your daughter after she is discharged from the NICU?"

Alice didn't know the answer to that. She thought she'd be able to find a nanny for Ava, but her income wasn't ready to support her for that. She silently avoided the question and tried to divert the topic, but Mrs. Perkins caught her.

"See, Alice, I know how hard it must be for you. If you don't want me to waive the hospital fees, why don't you work as a nurse there and pay me back? As far as Ava is concerned, I can look after her."

Alice didn't say anything and instead burst out crying. Worried, Mrs. Perkins asked, "Are you okay? Did I offend you in some way? I'm sorry!"

"No, Mrs. Perkins," Alice said as she wiped away her tears. "I can't express how grateful I am. You're really a kind soul!"

"Oh, honey," Mrs. Perkins hugged her. "If I am able to help you, I'll feel like I was able able to help my daughter and grandchild, which I couldn't before, and I think that's the greatest favor anyone can do for me."

What can we learn from this story?

• Act before it's too late. Mrs. Perkins' daughter would still be alive if she had summoned the courage to assist her daughter when she needed it.
• Learn to be kind and helpful. The way Mrs. Perkins helped Alice is a brilliant example of this.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about an old lady who never let anyone enter her house for 13 years.

This account is inspired by our reader's story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.