This is a change!

I was contacted by CTV to do an TV interview this afternoon.
I know what you're thinking.

A) It's about the York Street Station
B) Tim's about to stir it up again in New Maryland Council

You would be wrong on both counts.
Surprisingly, this is about a letter to the editor in the Gleaner last Thursday.
I shall push my luck again and copy it here. You need to see it to feel the full emotion that I felt.

Re: Cemetery thieves

I lost my 10-year-old daughter at the first of this year to a courageous battle with cancer.

She was the bravest person I ever knew. I will forever miss that sparkle in her eyes and that beautiful smile she left in so many hearts.

With every day having its own set of struggles and heartaches, I have realized life is a journey and some of us are chosen to take on some of the toughest obstacles of all. But we get through it.

A sweet girl once said, "It's not 'goodbye,' it's just that I haven't arrived yet."

Since it was January and the ground was frozen, her burial wasn't until the end of May. I found it hard during those months not having a place where I felt I could go sit and have some one-on-one time with her.

Now I'm find myself each morning with my coffee beside her grave. It is well decorated with all the things that made her unique. Each gift has its own meaning, given by friends and family who knew her best - sunflowers, dragonflies and a solar butterfly that keeps a statue of an angel lit at night.

But this morning was a devastating one. When I arrived I discovered some cruel, heartless coward had stolen all of those beautiful gifts.

Feeling sick to my stomach, angry and short of breathe, I left quickly, pulling myself together the best I could, but knowing I would have to explain this to my two boys.

The next chance they had to visit, they would ask why Sissy was missing all her gifts. Just how am I to explain why anyone would commit such a shameful act?

Obviously they don't understand the loss of someone special. As frustrating as it is for me, it's you, the coward, I feel sorry for, because it's you that will have to answer for that someday. May God bless you when that time comes.

Amy Jo Phillips

Fredericton

As you can guess this really saddened me and ticked me off.

So me being me sent in my own letter to the editor to try and do something to help.
It was printed on Saturday July 11th.

.

Re: Letter from Amy Jo Phillips published July 9, called Why would anyone steal from a 10-year-old's grave?

Unless we are in the situation ourselves it's difficult to fully understand the depth of sadness.

Personally, if I was in poor Amy's shoes, I would be at the grave every day for years, let alone six months. No amount of grief counselling can heal the loss of a child.

Amy, I feel horrible for your loss and subsequent indignity. If you read this, please contact me. I'm in the book in New Maryland.

I would like to personally begin replacing the stolen gifts with new ones. We can't let the cowards feel that they have won.

If they steal them again, we will replace them again. I can go on longer than they can and will help you do so too.

Take care.

Tim Scammell

New Maryland, N.B.

I'm not trying to get television interviews. I don't care about media exposure for this.

All I want is to help Amy Phillips feel a little less sad about something after losing her little girl.

It will not take a lot on my part or on anyone else's if they also choose to help.

I'll go on CTV today.

And hope that Amy calls me.

Take Care,
Tim