People of Hastings fight grave robbers with flowers

You may recall the post from a few weeks ago about the person(s) who stole flowers from a grave in Hastings.

Gary and Kris Rothers buried their 30-year-old daughter, Abby, in August in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish cemetery in Hastings, and then found that pots of mums were being stolen, a despicable crime, of course.

It’s hard to have faith in people when such vandalism flourishes, but there’s an important update from the Hastings Star Gazette.

This.

Submitted photo to Hastings Star Gazette. Used by permission.

Chad Richardson writes:

Just after the story in the newspaper and after the story on WCCO, the Rothers started to see new tributes appearing at Abbey’s gravesite. Bright new mums replaced the stolen ones. Then small messages and signs started appearing. More mums came, and more flowers came.

One especially touching sign atop a beautiful bouquet reads “Hugs from Hastings. We love Abbey, and we have your back! If flowers can be taken, they can also be given.”

When all the flowers, mums and signs started appearing, the Rothers couldn’t believe it.

“It’s just been a beautiful little tribute,” Kris Rothers tells Richardson. “Every time we go out there, it’s just like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ We keep seeing these wonderful little signs.”

(h/t: Ryan Brown)