Deanna Thompson received a phone call she never anticipated – a call bringing unexpected joy. The Calgary McInnis and Holloway funeral home had news: her mother’s cremated remains, stolen just three days prior, had been recovered.
“They said ‘we have her,’” Thompson recalled, her voice filled with emotion after collecting the ashes. The relief was almost overwhelming, a moment she’d desperately prayed for. It felt surreal, a weight lifted after days of anguish.
The ashes were found by a maintenance worker, discovered in a red velvet bag along with a handwritten note. The note, a beacon of hope, simply requested the remains be returned to the family, accompanied by the necessary documentation.
The theft occurred during a break-in at her brother Joshua Thompson’s home in Chestermere on January 6th. While tools, money, and an iPad were taken, the loss of their mother’s ashes was a uniquely devastating blow.
Surveillance footage captured two men fleeing the scene – one in work coveralls and a hard hat, the other in a black hoodie and backpack. They were clearly visible carrying the red velvet bag, unknowingly disrupting the family’s planned funeral on January 17th.
The family immediately mobilized, using the iPad’s location tracking to pinpoint its whereabouts in northeast Calgary. They alerted both city police and the RCMP, simultaneously spreading the word through social media and neighborhood flyers.
Thompson admitted she didn’t know if it was a good Samaritan or the burglars themselves who ultimately returned her mother’s remains. But the source was irrelevant; the ashes were home, and that was all that mattered.
With the ashes recovered, the family could finally proceed with the funeral as planned, a wave of relief washing over them. They found a strange comfort in the ordeal, even managing a touch of humor.
“My mom loved adventure,” Thompson shared, “and we joked that this was her last one.” The family expressed deep gratitude to the media, friends, and community for their support during the difficult time.
As of Friday, there had been no word on any arrests related to the initial break-in, but for Thompson and her family, the most important piece had been found. The focus now shifted to honoring their mother’s memory, finally at peace.
