This man's ashes were stolen from his mother's trailer. She wants them back
Jon Cooper spent much of his life in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and died in 2022 at the age of 36. His ashes were stolen out of his mother's trailer on June 21. (Submitted by Sheila Cooper)
A Labrador woman is pleading for her son's ashes to be returned after they were stolen from her family's trailer in June.
Sheila Cooper of North West River stores the ashes of her son, Jon, in a skull-shaped pot. But nearly three weeks ago, on June 21, she discovered someone had entered the trailer, stealing food, bottled water, a candle, a blanket — and Jon's ashes.
"To have somebody take your child's ashes? That's a whole new level of I don't understand," Cooper told CBC News on Monday.
"If you're hungry and thirsty, come see me. But with his ashes gone, I did call the RCMP."
Cooper said police surveyed the scene using a police dog and took DNA samples to try to identify the culprit but so far the culprit has not been identified.
Jon Cooper died of fentanyl poisoning after using laced cocaine at a concert in 2022, Sheila said. He was 36.
Sheila Cooper stores her son's ashes in this skull-shaped pot. (Submitted by Sheila Cooper)
In a Facebook post this week about the stolen ashes, she said she's been reliving the emotions she felt after his his death.
"When my son died I couldn't save him. And then with his ashes, it's like I lost him. That's how it feels. It's like I lost him," she said.
Cooper has dedicated her time to speaking about the dangers of overdose since Jon's death, working to provide safe-use kits to people and businesses in Labrador.
LISTEN | Labrador Morning's Rhivu Rashid speaks with Sheila Cooper:
She remembers her son as a caring person who loved to travel and hopes her family will be reunited with his ashes soon.
"I wish that that person would just please put those ashes somewhere where they can be found," she said.
"I'm OK with letting things slide if I just get my son's ashes back."
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