HEARTWARMING SURPRISE: Widow shares touching Mother's Day recognition from HEB, Kendra Scott

HOUSTON – A Texas mother raising two young children on her own after her husband’s death received a heartwarming surprise ahead of Mother’s Day.

On Monday morning, Cheyenne Bell went to the Kyle, Texas, HEB location to pick up her grocery order. The attendant loaded her groceries into her vehicle and handed her a Kendra Scott box with a necklace inside. The grocery store worker told Bell the first 100 mom customers received the special gift.

Bell, who lost her 36-year-old husband in 2017 of a heart attack, didn’t expect the recognition as she went about her busy life raising Aislin, 6, and Hawkins, 4. 

Mother’s Day was something Cheyenne and her husband, Garry, would celebrate together, but since his death of a heart attack, the holiday has slipped past.

In a touching Facebook post, Bell wrote, “When my husband was alive, he would make sure I felt appreciated on Mother’s Day. He didn’t buy me gifts, but he would have the kids draw me cards and he would make me an elaborate dinner, whatever I wanted. And he would always give me a card that expressed how lucky he and the kids were to have me. He was so thoughtful and sweet every year."

Bell continued, "This will be my second Mother’s Day as a widowed mama with two kiddos. I really haven’t thought much about it, to be honest. For me, it will be just another day because the kids are still too young to care or pay attention to it and I’m not mad about it. I don’t expect much, if anything at all. And I’m ok with that.”

However, when the HEB employee approached with the surprise gift, Bell said she had to keep herself “from being a blubbering mess.” 

“Sometimes, the universe does things like this to remind me that even though I don’t want or expect to be celebrated for doing my job, every now and then a little appreciation makes a world of difference,” Bell wrote on Facebook. “Especially when the one you created these babies with isn’t here to tell you how proud he is. So, thank you, HEB and Kendra Scott for making this mama’s Mother’s Day a little extra special.” 

Bell said she did cry when she wrote about the experience on social media.

“When I write, I cry,” she said. “It helps me to process things. It lets me grieve, but I was also so joyful and happy that something so insignificant maybe to them, could mean so much to me.”

Kendra Scott representatives shared this message with Bell on Instagram: “Happy Mother’s Day! Can’t wait to see how you style your sparkle.”

Read Bell's full Facebook post below.