Kumpula lived a few miles away and had a workshop on the outskirt of Cokato. When he spotted the crib at the Watts family garage sale, he was interested in buying it although it wasn’t on sale.
“When he asked me if I was selling that, that he made benches, I hesitated,” Watts admitted.
Back then, Kumpulas didn’t know the story behind that crib.
“His wife was there looking through my garage sale — at some of the baby clothes — and asked how old my son was since I don’t use the crib anymore, and I told her that he had passed in July,” Watts explained.
Kumpulas knew that crib belonged to the Watts family, so after he transformed it, he decided to return it back .
“I started crying instantly,” Watts said.
The bench that Kumpulas made out of the crib is a reminder of the sad times, but it also stands as a symbol of comfort for the mourning parents.
