baby

'I saw a crumpled photo on the floor. I knew exactly what it was, because I had one of my own son.'

WARNING: Distressing content below.

A photo of a stillborn baby girl has been returned to her mother, after a post showing the photo went viral on Facebook.

Monica Taylor found the photo at The Royal Melbourne show on Saturday night.

“My partner, son and our little brother where in the show bags area very late that evening, making our way through the crowd, when I noticed the photograph just laying there on the ground, barely being missed by everyone’s feet, despite its condition you could make out what the photograph was, or at least I knew exactly what it was, as I have two photos of my own son that look similar,” Monica told Mamamia.

"I noticed the trash collector's sweeping stuff up nearby, I halted my partner and said, 'is that [the photo]?!' I dove to it and picked it up, 'this is someone's angel honey!' I was shocked really, I instantly started feeling very sad for her mum, being busy with my own tot and extra child I carefully placed the photograph in a safe pocket in my handbag and continued on my way thinking I will deal with finding her mummy later," she said.

Having been through her own heartbreak of experiencing a stillborn birth, Monica knew she wanted to return the photo to its rightful owner. She uploaded a post to her Facebook page and asked for help in locating the baby's mother.

"When I returned home I thought, how can I possibly find her, I'm just me? I emailed lost and found and left my number, and I decided because I have seen the power of social media, to try and find her that way. I posted at around 11pm and yes, I was awestruck by how quickly everyone started sharing! With over 6.5k shares by early evening, over 400 comments and close to 2000 emotes, it was beautiful, I was touched that even people who haven't lost a baby can empathise with how important this photograph was."

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Less than 24 hours after she wrote the post, Monica was contacted by a woman (who chose to remain anonymous) who saw the post circulating online.  She made contact with both Monica and the Royal Melbourne Show's organisers.

The woman confirmed that she had lost the photo at the show and told Monica that the lost picture was the only photo she had of her daughter. Monica says that she was excited to get the photo back to the mother.

"I felt the same relief she must have felt! The fact she was getting her baby girl back was just so exciting for us both!" she said.

"She was so happy, hugged me so much, turns out she actually keeps the photo under her jacket over her heart, which would explain why it is so faded and crumpled, and she took it off at the show without realising the photo fell out!"

While there is undoubtedly an ugly side to social media it's stories like this one which show us the power it has to do good.

 

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