26 January 2024 , 06:35
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A dad has said it is a "kick in the stomach" to have cushions made from his late son's t-shirts stolen from his car.
Mark Holden, 50, went away for a long weekend on January 18 and left his BMW at the Terminal 1 multi-storey car park at Manchester Airport and returning three days later he was horrified to find his car had been broken into. And the thieves had taken the cushions which had been made from his son's t-shirts following his death and Mark said gave him "comfort".
Mark said: "My girlfriend was in the car and suddenly said 'they've taken Jay's cushions'. I was gutted... just heartbroken." Jacob, 23, died in a horror crash in Malpas, Cheshire, on 28 October 2022. In a heartbreaking tribute, his family described him as "a caring, gentle, kind soul who made time for everyone", adding that he had an "inherent goodness that is rare to find".
Following Jacob's sudden death, Mark's mum Gillian Valentine, who works as a dressmaker, made cushions out of his t-shirts to help the family feel close to him. Mark said: "The reason I have them in the car is because losing a 23-year-old in a road traffic accident has been really painful, and there are little things as a family we have found to help us through.
Mark Holden said he had been left "heartbroken" by the death of his son pictured (MEN Media)"When things like this happen it's just like a kick in the stomach. It makes you feel really sick when you think about it." Mark told the Manchester Evening News that thieves also took the keys to his brother's car, a pair of glasses and aftershave.
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He later put out an appeal for help on social media, saying he was "distraught and absolutely disgusted" that people could be "so evil". Mark added: "The pain of Jay's sudden passing is unmentionable every day for me, but the presence of these cushions in my car gave me so much comfort while travelling and made me feel close to Jay. I put a cushion on the front seat so it's next to me. It's a little thing that helps."
The post has been shared 16,000 times, with thousands of people offering Mark and his family kind words. Mark added: "If I could have them back, it would mean so much. It would mean the world to me. They are irreplaceable. They're worthless to someone else, but priceless to me."
A cushion was made from Jacob's t-shirts (MEN Media)Greater Manchester Police said the theft was reported, but no suspect could be identified following enquiries. The force said if further evidence comes to light, it will investigate. A spokesperson for Manchester Airport said: "We are saddened to learn of this appalling theft and are working closely with Greater Manchester Police to help catch whoever is responsible.
"We take the security of our car parks extremely seriously and have an extensive CCTV network as well as a dedicated team that patrols them. Millions of passengers use our parking facilities every year and thanks to the measures we have in place incidents like this are extremely rare."