Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

TikToker Posts Emotional Plea After Dead Mother's Final Gift To Her Is Cancelled—And The Internet Delivered

TikToker Posts Emotional Plea After Dead Mother's Final Gift To Her Is Cancelled—And The Internet Delivered
@gardenoferin/TikTok

TikToker @gardenoferin posted a heartbreaking video begging people to help her replace an L.L. Bean tote bag her late mother tried to order for her before her death.

Grief can make even small gestures deeply impactful, as a woman recently found out after posting a video to TikTok after her mother's recent death.

Erin Barbee, who goes by @gardenoferin on TikTok, had wanted a wildly popular "Boat and Tote" bag from L.L. Bean for her birthday this year. Her mother obliged and put in the order, along with custom embroidery.


However, as the bag is so popular, it is backlogged in production and the birthday gift became more and more belated. After multiple delays, L.L. Bean cancelled the order. This would have been merely an inconvenience—except that Barbee's mother died while waiting for the bag.

Barbee initially brushed off the cancellation because, well, it's a tote bag and she can probably just order one. However, as she was grieving the loss of her mother, it hit her that it wasn't just a popular tote bag—it was the last birthday present her mom gave her.

So, she posted a video to TikTok explaining the situation and asking if anyone had one of a similar make and model as the one that her mom had ordered, and if they would be willing to sell it to her if they weren't using it.

@gardenoferin

Grief is really weird. And really hard. But if you have an L.L.Bean boat and tote bag that you don’t use I’d love to give it new life. @llbean #llbean #llbeantote #boattote #ironicboatandtote

People flooded the comments with support and also shared their own stories of grief that can manifest in seemingly odd or arbitrary ways.

@yournjg/TikTok

@courtneywithac_/TikTok

@gingerchelle/TikTok

Many people were ready to drive to their nearest L.L. Bean to get this woman her tote bag.

@mrmm9999/TikTok

@katherine.wight/TikTok

Her plea did not go unheard. The L.L. Bean TikTok account commented on the video, as well.

@llbean/TikTok

Folks were not surprised by the brand's swift action, as L.L. Bean has long been known as a company that prioritizes customer service.

@grumpykendra/TikTok



@gardenoferin

The past few days have been overwhelming. Thank you to @llbean and everyone who made getting my mom’s last birthday gift to me possible. The encouragement and kindness from complete strangers has been so inspiring. Lastly, thank you, mom. I know you’re watching this unfold from heaven knowing you made it happen supernaturally. I miss you more than you know but I’ll look for these reminders from you every day for the rest of my life. 🩵 #llbean #boattote #llbeantote #ironicboatandtote #grief #griefjourney #missyoumom

Their gesture was appreciated by both Barbee and her audience.

@peachy_keane21/TikTok

@silverwolf_505/TikTok

@meghanfg1/TikTok

@rmh_rios/TikTok

Commenters cried when the first video went up, and were equally as emotional when the follow-up video dropped.

@wtfranay/TikTok

@nobadhabits6/TikTok

@scschulman/TikTok

In a follow-up with People, Barbee said that this was more than just a bag.

"Somebody said that the final gift that my mom got me was the bag...But the final gift was all of this encouragement from people. It's been a light during the hardest couple of weeks of my whole life."

Boat and Totes are available in many different colors, styles, and sizes, but will take a while to get to you as their production process usually isn't a quick one.

More from Trending

Screenshot of Fox News broadcast of shooting at Annunciation Catholic School
Fox News

Fox Host Blames Minneapolis School Shooting On Depression And Anxiety Medications In Wild Take

Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy was criticized after she claimed with no evidence whatsoever that the deadly school shooting in Minneapolis on Wednesday happened because children are on "SSRIs" and encouraged Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy to look into it.

Campos-Duffy, the wife of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, spoke after a gunman opened fire through the windows of a church on Wednesday morning, killing two children and wounding 17 others during the first week of classes at Annunciation Catholic School.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Jacob Frey
ABC News/KSTP

Minneapolis Mayor Slams 'Thoughts & Prayers' Reaction To School Shooting: 'These Kids Were Literally Praying'

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had harsh words for politicians who offer "thoughts and prayers" after deadly school shootings after his city became the latest scene of gun violence when a gunman opened fire through the windows of a church on Wednesday morning, killing two children and wounding 17 others during the first week of classes at Annunciation Catholic School.

The FBI identified the shooter as a 23-year-old who was a 2017 graduate of the school. The shooter died at the scene. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the suspect had posted a “manifesto” on YouTube that contained “disturbing writings.”

Keep ReadingShow less
A man lying on a bed with a woman walking toward him with his le
woman in blue shirt lying on bed
Photo by We-Vibe Toys on Unsplash

People Who Waited Until Marriage To Have Sex Confess Whether They Regret It

When entering a new relationship, a common question that is asked repeatedly is, "How long?"

How long until we introduce them to our friends? How long until we introduce them to our families? How long until this relationship is... consummated?

Keep ReadingShow less
Marc Maron; Dave Chappelle
John Lamparski/Getty Images; Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

Maron slams Netflix for Chappelle pick

Marc Maron isn’t known for holding back, and in a recent Pod Save America interview, he criticized Netflix for their unwavering support of Dave Chappelle. We all remember when Chappelle released his series of specials filled with transphobic “jokes,” which caused a backlash and led Netflix employees to stage a walkout.

Yeah—Netflix did the corporate math real quick, realized Chappelle’s fanbase outweighed the fury, and kept cutting him checks. To Maron, that was the smoking gun.

Keep ReadingShow less
Shot of a pair of hands. A woman's index finger holds a wedding ring.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

People Share The Most Bizarre Reasons Why Couples Got Divorced

Not every love story is meant to last forever.

That is just a sad fact.

Keep ReadingShow less