Stranger Sees Woman's Uncanny Resemblance & Steps Up to Help Grieving Parents Pay for Funeral

Heather Riggleman

A stranger sees a woman’s uncanny resemblance to his belated sister and steps up to help grieving parents pay for their daughter’s funeral.

Steven Paparnesi deeply misses his beloved sister Kimberly, who tragically died at the age of 19. His sister had her whole life before her, waiting to be lived. Even though Kimberly had been gone for four years, the tragic death of Ciela Ditano brought fresh waves of grief for Steven.

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He Knew He Needed to Do Something

He knew he needed to do something to ease the suffering and pain Ciela’s parents were going through. Ciela had died after falling several stories to her death when an elevator opened without the elevator to board. 

“I heard and saw her parents sunken in pain, and I immediately felt I had to help them,” Steven said.  “Their situation touched me deeply, and in this way, I decided to make this gesture at least to take from Ciela’s family a portion of the economic burden, hoping that it will be a modicum of comfort in these circumstances.”

Having grieved his sister's death, Steven pondered ways he could ease the pain and burden Ciela’s parents were feeling. It was at that moment that Steven decided to help in a tangible way. He decided to gift them $2,800 to cover some of the funeral expenses. His heart led him to this precious gift.

He Used His Money to Help Pay For The Funeral 

“Us young people spend an awful lot of money uselessly, but I can give a little to someone who has need of it now and it won’t change my life for the worse,” Steven commented. “I did that which my heart told me to do.”

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I can’t imagine losing a child or a sibling. This kind of loss is so incredibly hard to bear. But the kindness, compassion, and generosity of others is a comforting hug from our heavenly father as He moves in ways we never could imagine. In this case, losing a loved one created a beautiful gift of compassion. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."

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h/t: Good News Network

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Heather Riggleman is a believer, wife, mom, author, social consultant, and full-time writer. She lives in Minden, Nebraska with her kids, high school sweetheart, and three cats who are her entourage around the homestead. She is a former award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published. She is full of grace and grit, raw honesty, and truly believes tacos can solve just about any situation. You can find her on GodUpdates, iBelieve, Crosswalk, Hello Darling, Focus On The Family, and in Brio Magazine. Connect with her at www.HeatherRiggleman.com or on Facebook.  

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