A message in a bottle that is making everyone cry, and it’s not because of a movie or a book

Knowing what to do with a loved one’s remains is always difficult, a tough decision that families often struggle with.

It’s particularly tough when the passing came tragically early, as was the case when Wendy Chadwick passed away earlier this year due to an undiagnosed heart condition. A mother-of-five, Wendy was the sole provider for her family and her children wanted to pay proper tribute to her.

Wendy’s daughter - Cara Melia - took the unusual step of sealing her ashes in a glass bottle and releasing it in the sea, alongside a note that reads: “This is my mum. Throw her back in — she’s travelling the world“.

Cara released the bottle into the sea and it was quickly discovered by a passer-by, who read the note and posted the story online. The tale quickly went viral and BBC Radio Manchester tracked down the daughter to get the full story.

“Life happened and my mum never got a chance to travel,” she said. “Nobody was meant to find her for a bit - she was meant to be in a completely different country.

“I’d love her to end up on a beach in Barbados or Spain, which would definitely take a while.”

She described her mother as a “very quirky kind of person” who “absolutely loved the beach and sun” and hoped that she would end up in sunnier climes. Cara also revealed that their plan had initially been to scatter her mother’s ashes on a beach, before her cousin suggested the bottle idea.

The story have now been shared thousands of times on Facebook and the bottle has been returned to the ocean to continue its global tour. Her journey is only just beginning.

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