WASHINGTON (TNND) — As Americans prepare to mark 25 years since the Sept. 11 attacks, a California nonprofit is traveling to New York City with weighted teddy bears designed to offer comfort to families who lost loved ones.
Comfort Cub founder Marcella Johnson said the organization will distribute its weighted therapeutic bears to families affected by the attacks, which she said is meant to remind them that their loved ones are not forgotten.
Johnson created the first Comfort Cub after the death of her infant son, George. She said she left the hospital overwhelmed by grief and searching for a way to help other families facing similar loss.
After finding relief while holding a heavy object against her chest, Johnson said she was inspired to create a weighted teddy bear for grieving parents. The nonprofit has since expanded its efforts to support people experiencing different forms of trauma and loss, including by working with police on trauma calls and responding after mass shootings.
Johnson said the bear’s weight provides what is known as deep-touch pressure, which she believes can help create a sense of calm for people coping with grief.
“Grief has no expiration date,” Johnson said. “Even though 25 years have passed since 9/11, that grief never goes away. In fact, it’ll be with you for your whole life.”
She said milestone anniversaries can resurface painful emotions for families who have lost loved ones. The organization hopes the bears offer both physical comfort and a reminder that others understand their pain.
“The number one thing that’s important is that they know that they’re not alone,” Johnson said. “Other people have felt this too, and they have made it through, and they can make it through too.”