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Michelle Gordon McDougal and Her Grandmother, 2013 | Michelle Gordon McDougal's Mason Jars Full of Coins, 2017 | Source: Facebook.com/MichelleGordonMcDougal
Michelle Gordon McDougal and Her Grandmother, 2013 | Michelle Gordon McDougal's Mason Jars Full of Coins, 2017 | Source: Facebook.com/MichelleGordonMcDougal

Woman Finds Hundreds of Pennies after Asking Dying Grandma to Send Them from Heaven

Junie Sihlangu
Oct 19, 2023
12:00 P.M.

After spending over four decades of their lives together, a woman made an unusual request to her dying grandmother. She even took it a step further by asking her nana for a sign to know her wish was fulfilled.

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Facebook user Michelle Gordon McDougal utilized the platform to share the story of her unusual bond with her grandmother, which prevailed even after her death. During her grandmother's last days, the woman volunteered to spend time with her at least twice weekly.

But on their last night together, Michelle made an unusual demand from her grandmother, asking her to send her coins when she got to heaven so she'd know her nana was near. Interestingly, she got her wish and later took to Facebook to share photos of the pile of pennies she'd gathered since her grandmother's passing!

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The Undying Bond That Michelle and Her Nana Share

In her post from 2017, Michelle revealed she didn't come by all the coins at once but discovered them over the years in the strangest places. After acquiring quite the collection, the woman decided to embark on a project using the pennies in her grandma's honor.

Michelle couldn't help but feel excited that her grandmother remained close and watched over her as she had done since her birth. The relationship between the two women was forged right after Michelle was born on her granny's 39th birthday.

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As the first of seven grandchildren, their connection went unrivaled as they embarked on family vacations, shopping trips, and girls' outings. The duo became the center of each other's worlds, with the kindhearted nana making numerous sacrifices to ensure her grandchildren grew up happy and healthy.

Michelle's grandmother was described as a "caring soul" who'd gladly "give you the shirt off her back." When Michelle was ten days old, she had firsthand experience of that side of her grandmother. Her mother and grandparents hired a nurse to care for her when she almost died from pneumonia.

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Michelle never knew how the trio paid for the caregiver until her grandfather mentioned it years later. The grandparent revealed his granddaughter's nana sacrificed by working "triple shifts" at a shoe store so they could afford the nurse, with Michelle's grandfather recalling:

"She would come home with her fingers bleeding from sewing so many shoes. She'd quickly wash and then run right to you, to make sure you were okay. That’s how much she loves you."

The Illness That Took Michelle's Grandmother and the Promise Nana Made

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Indeed, Michelle grew up, got married, and started her own family, giving her grandmother more reasons to smile. However, that smile was soon wiped from their faces after doctors diagnosed her grandmother with cancer.

In her usual resilience and determination, the brave grandmother beat cancer and was declared totally in remission, to everyone's happiness. Unfortunately, that joy was short-lived as she experienced a relapse.

Doctors said she was beyond treatment the second time and could only await her fate. From there on, relatives took turns to spend nights with her nana and keep her comfortable. As fate would have it, Michelle was opportune to watch her grandmother a few days before she died.

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The two women spent the night laughing, eating Chinese food, and discussing everything in their usual "bestie" manner. During their memorable night, Michelle made her unusual request and received a nod of approval from her grandmother. She sadly passed away two days later.

How Did Michelle's Late Grandmother Keep Her Dying Promise?

Right after bidding her nana farewell, McDougal began finding coins by the dozens, which she kept as they pilled up in a large mason jar! She explained the phenomenon and revealed the joke her mother made about them:

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"Those dozens turned into hundreds and hundreds of pennies. My mom joked and said, 'Michelle, you should have told her to send twenty-dollar bills.' But pennies to me are perfect[...]."

User comment on the heartwarming Facebook post | Photo: Facebook.com/MichelleGordonMcDougal

User comment on the heartwarming Facebook post | Photo: Facebook.com/MichelleGordonMcDougal

Four years later, she finally decided what to do with the pennies. With her husband's help, Michelle made a wooden slab from old barn boards and carefully glued each penny to form a glittering heart shape.

As a finishing touch, she inscribed "Love & Kisses Nana" on the board using a Cricut machine and an old golden card she once received from her grandma. What better way to immortalize their love? However, that's not the only thing Michelle has done to pay tribute to her nana.

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How Does Michelle Keep Honoring Her Late Grandmother?

On December 5, 2021, Michelle showed how her grandmother is still in her thoughts and heart by dedicating a post to her memory. Sharing a throwback photo of them on Facebook, the loving granddaughter wished her late nana a "Happy heavenly birthday."

The granddaughter also shared her gratitude for all the birthdays she had with her grandmother. Educating those who didn't know their story, Michelle revealed that she shared a birthday with her nana.

Sadly, her grandmother passed away a week before they could celebrate 45 birthdays together. The granddaughter confessed to missing her nana "terribly" but that she is grateful for all the incredible memories they made together.

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