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The kindness of a stranger towards a heartbroken young girl who lost her dad in a car accident brought her mother to tears on a shopping trip.
Ange Martin’s former husband Peter McGuire, the father of her nine-year-old daughter Isabelle, died in January.
The ex-soldier was 35.
Hoping to bring her daughter some comfort over the festive period, Ms Martin bought Isabelle an Army-themed elf for her to cuddle and to remind her of her dad.
To further personalise the elf, Ms Martin, who lives in Crescent Road, Ramsgate, wanted to spray it with the aftershave Mr McGuire used to wear, Versace Blue Jeans.
She headed to Westwood Cross shopping centre to see if she could find a small bottle or sample, when she was struck by the kindness of a member of staff at Superdrug.
“I wasn’t having much luck until I went there,” Ms Martin said.
“I spoke to Sarah on the perfume counter, and explained my odd request to her and my reasons for doing so.
“I cheekily said could you maybe spray one of your testers on the elf, and she happily did that.
“She then said my daughter could come back any time with the elf or a pillow or shirt and they would spray it, no problem.
“I started crying because it really was the kindest thing anyone has done this year for us.”
Overwhelmed, Ms Martin left the store, but forgot the other things she had gone there to buy. It was on her return to the shop that she got a real surprise.
“I saw Sarah again, and she said ‘I have something for you’,” the 34-year-old said.
“So I followed her to the perfume counter and she gave me a whole bottle of the aftershave, which she had cleared with her manager.
“I cried again because her kindness has seriously touched my heart.
“I started crying because it really was the kindest thing anyone has done this year for us..." - Ange Martin
“I really appreciate it, and Sarah’s kindness towards my daughter is the nicest thing anyone has done this year. I think she’s amazing.”
Ms Martin says little Isabelle hasn’t parted with the elf since she gave it to her.
“It goes to bed with her, and when she goes to school it sits on a shelf in a safe place,” she added.
“We have the normal naughty elf, who is called Olaf, and we’ve had him for a few years now. It was him who brought his special friend to help remind her of her dad, and we’ve told her he even wears the same aftershave as him. I can’t thank Sarah enough for her kindness. She has proven that there really are some lovely people in Thanet.”
Sarah Jones says she was “honoured to help such a lovely lady” and touched that the mum opened up to her.
“It was a lovely experience for me to help a lady who is doing so much to help her daughter through such a difficult time,” she said. “I’m honoured she came and spoke to me and grateful that I could help her daughter remember her father, who served his country. Scents bring back a lot of memories and feelings.
“I just did what anybody else would have done.”
