There's a kind stranger in the NSW Upper Hunter region, who's become known around the town of Muswellbrook as "Captain Kindness".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
It's the name left on handwritten condolences notes attached to posies of fresh flowers for local vets to give to grieving pet owners.
This kind citizen works hard to keep his identity top secret, but his notes do reveal that "he is a young boy who has felt the heartache" of losing a "fur best friend" and just wants to help ease someone else's pain with a small gesture.
One of the few entrusted to help Captain Kindness carry out his kind acts is the local florist behind the posies, Sarah Smith from Wildflowers by Sarah.
Every few weeks for more than 12 months, Sarah said she has had the honour of making small posies and dropping them off at Pet Medical for the vets to pass on to someone who might need a gesture of compassion.
Sarah said it was really special to be involved in something so selfless from such a young person, even though she has never met or spoken to Captain Kindness either.
"It's a really selfless thing he does for someone so young," Sarah said. "Every time I make his little posies it brings a warm feeling to my heart."
Sarah was approached by Captain Kindness' mum asking if she would consider making some affordable posies for a young boy who wanted to donate his pocket money to give flowers to people who had lost their pets like he had.
"To think this young gentleman is giving away the majority of what he earns by doing hard work without any recognition whatsoever apart from the intermittent messages of thanks or Facebook posts he reads is not something you hear about every day, or any day really," Sarah said.
Saying goodbye to a "fur bestie"
When Captain Kindness had to say goodbye to his own "fur bestie" he said he was sad for a long time.
"I didn't want to go to school or hang out with my friends. It was so hard having to do all the things I would do with her, without her," Captain Kindness shared.
"I was so heartbroken and missing her so much. I still miss her so much," he said.
Offering flowers and a heartfelt note to others going through the same, was his way of moving through his grief. It's all paid from with his own pocket money, which he said he earns from doing as many jobs as he can each week.
"I needed to find a positive thing to do to help me feel better and I remembered when people die everyone gives families flowers, so I wanted to do flowers for people who felt as sad as me when they say goodbye to their pet.
"I wish everyone could have flowers but I don't get that much pocket money. Giving my first bunches of flowers made me feel so good knowing someone was going to get them that needed some cheering up. And because I felt so good I wanted to keep doing it," Captain Kindness said.
Feeling sad sucks and I wanted to find a positive from losing my sweet fur bestie and this is the one way I could help.
- Captain Kindness
He writes the notes from his heart and said he hoped those reading the notes were able to remember a special moment with their pet and smile.
"Feeling sad sucks and I wanted to find a positive from losing my sweet fur bestie and this is the one way I could help."
"I hope it helps them realise that there is someone who knows how they feel and to help them think of the good stuff instead of always feeling sad."
When flowers weren't available he gave candles to the vets with special hearts and ribbons.
Anonymity is his one request
Captain Kindness doesn't know who gets the flowers he leaves that to the vets to decide, but he doesn't do it for the recognition, hence the anonymity.
"I don't want my flower gifts to be about me. Because it's about the person getting them. I don't need everyone to know it's me, it's not why I do it. I do it to help others," he said.
Sometimes he will receive a thank you letter via the vets or his mum and dad will let him know when someone has post a thank you to a community group on Facebook, but most of the time he doesn't know and he is okay with that. He knows he is helping in some small way and that is enough for him.
"I hope that every person who has gotten flowers or a candle when they are sad saying bye to a pet, knows that I do this to help them feel a bit better, even if for a moment. It helps me, especially on days when I am really missing my fur best mate," Captain Kindness said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"I don't do it for thank yous or recognition. I don't like all the attention."
"I also wanted to thank Sarah the amazing flower lady. It means so much that she has kept my anonymity and also kept it so flowers are in my pocket money budget.
"I love helping people and I chose her as I wanted to help a small business and her flowers are so nice. And to everyone at pet medical thank you for keeping my secret.
"They tell me often people are always asking who I am and I am so glad that they all work together and haven't told people because they know how important it is just for me to help without all the fuss.
"Although the workers in there do like to tell me how much a difference I am making to heaps of people," Captain Kindness said.
