When former Airdrie resident Nicole Monaghan (who now lives in Cochrane) received a message from her ailing stepmother who lives in Regina, late in May inquiring about a quilt she had sent to Monaghan's daughter as a graduation present, Monaghan knew something was very wrong.

"I asked her to do it for my kids; to have something to remember her by. She spent over a year making it and then she mailed it as a surprise and didn't tell us about it. She messaged me two days after and asked,'you guys didn't like the quilt?' That's how we found out that it went to the wrong address," she said. "She's very sick and every time she goes into the hospital, we're not sure if she's going to get out. We don't know how much longer she has and it just breaks my heart."

Monaghan said that on May 24 the package was delivered to the family's old address on Cooper's Drive (Morningside), which they had moved out from over five years ago. Because Monaghan's stepmom has Alzheimer's, Monaghan believes she may have forgotten the family's new and current address. On May 26, a family member went to ask the current homeowner if they had gotten a package by mistake.

"She told them that she dropped it off at the post office and that was on the 26 [of May] and she said she dropped it off the day before. We went to the post office, and they said it was not dropped off there. I went back to the house and explained to them that this is a meaningful thing and that it's not about anything else except for the fact that it [the quilt] was made with love."

Since then Monaghan hasn't been able to successfully locate the quilt. In an attempt try and reach out to the community, she made a social media post, stating she would offer a cash reward for the safe return of the quilt.

quilt

 "My [stepmom] is the reason I am the person I am today. She's taught me right from wrong, and how to be a good person and even though she is not with my dad anymore, she's still a big part of my life. She has never forgotten kids. She always makes sure they have money. She always makes sure they have birthday presents and Christmas presents," she said. "She's just full of love and life."

Monaghan stressed that her greatest fear is that someone who may have noticed the package and opened it, would not understand the significance of out and throw it away. She also underlined that she is not interested in pursuing charges of any kind - if that were the case. Monaghan waited a few days to tell her daughter about the news, which was met with tears and heartbreak. 

monNicole Monaghan's daughter, who graduated this past June has not yet been able to receive a special quilt her grandmother made for her. (Photo provided by 
Nicole Monaghan)

"I think it's still out there and I believe somebody has it. We just want it back," she said. 

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