From her small “she shed” in Maryland, Michelle Kitts-Boismenu turned heartbreak into healing—sewing pillows and bears for every life lost in the Texas floods.
BRUNSWICK, Md. — There’s no straight road from Brunswick, Maryland, to Central Texas. If there were, it would run straight through a backyard shed filled with fabric, thread, and compassion.
That’s where Michelle Kitts-Boismenu has spent the last two months—seated at a humming sewing machine, surrounded by stacks of colorful fabric and the names of strangers who have now become part of her life.
When historic floods swept through Texas, taking more than 130 lives, Kitts-Boismenu couldn’t look away.
“I rolled it around in my head and said I need to do something,” she said.
Her “something” turned into stitching. A pillow for every adult victim. A stuffed bear for every child.
Before sewing each one, she read through every obituary. Every name, every story.
Each creation carries a personal touch.
Volunteer firefighter Brad Perry’s pillow reflects his service.
Eloise Peck’s bear is adorned with tiny pink cowgirl boots, just like the ones she adored.
And for sisters Brooke and Blair Harber—found holding hands in the floodwaters—their bears do the same.
“These people are part of me right now,” Kitts-Boismenu said quietly.
The work is slow and emotional. Some nights, the grief still felt fresh.
“How do you go on after something like that? I don’t know,” she admitted.
But one thing she does know: their pain has been felt all the way up in Maryland.
From her hands to their hearts, comfort is now on the way.