Aarschot (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Elke Lauwens (37) from Aarschot has issued an emotional plea after losing a bracelet containing the ashes of her deceased daughter. The public urged to help.
She no longer has the bracelet that held her daughter’s ashes. Elke believes she misplaced the bracelet at either Aarschot or Tremelo.
The name of her famous child, Ade, is engraved on a gold bracelet. The bracelet is primarily valuable emotionally.
“Our daughter died at the very end of the pregnancy,”
says Elke.
“It was only after 35 weeks that the doctors discovered that Ade had a very rare genetic disorder. There are only about forty similar cases known worldwide. Due to a certain enzyme in the brain, she could not process waste products and she would poison her own brain. Ade is now our star child.
I always wanted to carry her with me, so I had a special bracelet made. The bracelet has a gold plate with her name and date of birth engraved on it. Ade. December 29, 2022. There is a small stone attached to the plate. And behind it is part of her ashes.”
“It’s terrible that I lost the bracelet. I don’t feel complete anymore. Ade is in our hearts, but with the bracelet she was literally close to me. I really hope that someone finds the bracelet. All tips are welcome”,
sighs Elke.
She added that she assumes that she lost the jewel during the weekend of 7 and 8 June. They turned their entire house upside down, and they also searched everywhere in the garden.
Maybe someone with a metal detector can help us search. That weekend they also went to Parkheide, a playground in Tremelo.
And she went to pick up her husband who had participated in the try-out of the Hagelandse 101, a walking event. They were at the finish line in the parking lot behind the Aarschot station, Belgium. They have already started looking there. But if anyone walks past there in the coming days and sees her bracelet lying on the ground, please let her know.
She said she could have a new bracelet made, but it won’t be the same. Hopefully it will turn up somewhere.
How might local authorities or community groups assist Elke in her search?
In Tremelo, Aarschot, and the adjacent communities, authorities can assist by extensively promoting Elke’s plea through social media, neighborhood news sources, community centers, and public notice boards. Residents who may have seen or found the bracelet are made more aware as a result.
In order to reach a variety of demographics and improve the likelihood that people will find the bracelet, local governments can cooperate with neighborhood associations, faith-based organizations, and community groups to promote the event.
Establishing simple reporting procedures, like dedicated phone lines, online forms, or drop-off locations at community centers or council offices, might motivate individuals to report any findings as soon as they are discovered.
With the assistance of local authorities for safety and logistics, community volunteers and organizations might plan coordinated search operations in the areas where Elke believes she lost the bracelet.
