Bracelet With Allegan Man’s Ashes Stolen In Wayland, Michigan

A reward is being offered after a bracelet containing the ashes of an Allegan man was stolen from his sister's bedroom in Wayland, Michigan. Can you help reunite this memorial charm with its rightful owner?

Josh Thomson had been missing for two weeks in 2016 just after the Christmas holiday. Sadly, a search party later recovered his remains near a relative's home in Allegan. He had taken his own life. It was a devastating loss. Now this. His sister Caitlynn says her bracelet that has a charm containing her brother's ashes was stolen from her bedroom in the Allegan County community of Wayland. The Pandora bracelet has a small charm with a flower containing the ashes of Josh and was in a small white bag with Pandora written on it. Friends of the family are offering a $100 reward for the return of the memorial keepsake.

Caitlynn says that she wore the bracelet often. She last remembers having it on around January or March. She took the bracelet with the memorial charm off, tucked it safely into the Pandora bag the bracelet came with and kept it in her bedroom. In June, she went to retrieve the bracelet and realized it was gone. Caitlynn says she had hoped she had just misplaced it but after going through every inch of her room and home, she now believes somebody stole the one of kind piece of jewelry that is irreplaceable. She says she doesn't even care if she gets the bracelet back, just the charm with her brother's ashes. Caitlynn is pleading with whoever has it to just return it.

Family friend Kellie Boers was there the day Josh was recovered. In fact, she was part of the search party trying to aid the family in locating Josh. Now Kellie is helping the family again. She helped secure the reward and has offered to be the contact person for tips, a location, or for coordinating a pickup of the bracelet if found. Kellie can be reached on social media by clicking here, by phone at 269-998-1933, or by email at kellieboers@gmail.com.

Losing someone to suicide is a devastating loss. While nothing can bring Josh back to his family, having the bracelet back might bring comfort to his little sister, especially as the sad anniversary approaches.

Suicide rates have been steadily climbing for over a decade in Michigan. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth and young adults aged 10–24 years in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). There are resources for family members of loved ones in crisis that you can find by clicking here. MDHHS has resources available in every county in the state, which can be viewed by clicking here. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or feelings, you are not alone. Help is available 24 hours a day via phone, text, or email. You can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255), email www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org, or text RESTORE to 741741 for a confidential text conversation with a crisis counselor.