Stranger's heartwarming gesture after daughter's grave trageted by thieves. Photo / Facebook
Stranger's heartwarming gesture after daughter's grave trageted by thieves. Photo / Facebook
A Sunshine Coast family grieving the loss of their only daughter have been dealt another blow after thieves targeted their baby girl's resting place on two occasions.
The Gillogly family's world turned upside down in 2015 when their little daughter Indianna was born without a heartbeat in 2015.
Her mum, 30-year-old Nicole, was 30 weeks pregnant when she was found unconscious in her bedroom. Desperately trying to wake her up, her three boys called paramedics who rushed her to hospital.
She was in a coma for eight days, delivering Indianna on day two.
In a tragic turn of events, Indianna didn't survive but has been credited for saving the life of her unconscious mother.
"She saved my life actually," the mother told 7 News. "But I wouldn't want to wish it on anybody."
Three years on, the family's pain only intensified when thieves stole precious items from her gravesite including her father's OZtag jersey that had the number 22 on it, the day Indianna was born.
"And what's angered us the most is a wisdom rock that our son brought for my husband 10 years ago," Nicole Gillogly wrote on social media.
"My husband ALWAYS had it on his dash in his ute until we lost our daughter and he then gave it to her."
The grave was targeted just days later with numerous other items stolen from her headstone and what wasn't stolen was left in a mess.
"How dare they - this is all we have of her and they just not only steal but touch all her stuff," Gillogly said.
"You feel violated, you feel angry, you're dumbfounded."
Three artificial pink gerberas, a ginger plant, white vase, unicorn, little pony, two lady beetles, two fairies and a pink pearl solar light were also taken.
Stranger Rod Fletcher kindly offered to create a permanent headstone for Indianna, free of charge to the family. Photo / Rocks of Remembrance / Facebook
STRANGER COMES TO FAMILY'S AID
After seeing the family's horrible situation in the news, Rod Fletcher and his wife contacted Gillogly wanting to help.
Fletcher kindly offered to create a permanent headstone for Indianna, free of charge to the family.
The man behind the kind gesture worked away at the headstone for a month, managing to include a personal family image on the plaque.
He also placed a handcrafted fairy sitting at the top of the headstone as a way for her to look over Indianna.
While the pain of Indianna's death will never disappear, the family now have a part of their hearts filled with love again, thanks to Fletcher's act of kindness.
"We can't tell you what it feels like to have a complete stranger to do so much," Gillogly said.
