Nov 14, 2023

Husband’s ashes returned to widow after cold-hearted robbery

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87-year-old Nada and her daughter Joan were devastated when the urn was taken. [Source: A Current Affair]

An older Queensland woman has had her late husband’s ashes returned after burglars stole his urn from her Queensland home in broad daylight.

Nada French, 87, had the urn containing the ashes of her husband of 53 years Neal stolen along with her engagement and eternity rings from her property in Mount Gravatt on Thursday.

Speaking with A Current Affair, Ms French and her daughter Joan Hyams explained how the cold-hearted theft was like “losing dad twice”. 

Ms Hyams described the theft as being “even more disturbing” for the family than when her father passed away in 2016.

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Ms French had planned for her ashes to be interned with her husband's. [Source: A Current Affair]

But the mother and daughter were ecstatic when they received a call confirming Neal’s urn was located by police on the steps of a nearby church after the family put out a public plea for its return.

“It means everything because we planned so many years ago that we would both be cremated and both go into the family plot at Nudgee,” Nada said.

Ms Hyams said she was elated to hear the urn had been returned and that her dad is “back with us, where he belongs.”

“He was such a good, considerate, thoughtful, family man. I couldn’t have asked for anything better, really.”

While the tragedy was resolved, the incident majorly concerned Ms French as she thought her home was totally secure. 

“My other son and I are looking into how we can make [the house] more secure,” she said. 

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