Couple lost their disabled son when he was just 10—then grieving dad built a touching headstone to honor son's legacy

It is a life-shattering experience for a parent to lose a child. Any mother or father would give anything to have a few more moments with their kid. Unfortunately, the only thing parents can do after the passing of their loved ones is to honor and remember them. Anneke and Ernest Robison lost their son Matthew Robison when he was 10 years old, per NPR. As gut-wrenched and broken as they were, they found a hopeful and bright way to remember their disabled son. The dad built a personal tribute that serves as a strength and hope to the parents. Matthew had cerebral palsy and had been in a wheelchair all his life.

He passed away at the age of 10 and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Ernest decided that he would honor his son by celebrating his death as freedom from his limitations on Earth. To pay tribute to him, the dad built a gravestone that perfectly encompassed the hope the parents had for their late 10-year-old. Standing proudly over Matthew’s remains is a stone structure depicting him and his wheelchair. The gravestone shows the boy standing up from his wheelchair, jumping and reaching his hand out. 

The sculpture captures a happy and free boy, leaping up and about, having no restrictions to hold him back. The right hand, however, is folded, capturing Matthew’s disability and making it more unique to the boy. When asked about what drove him to build the statue as such, he had a moving reply. He said, “I got the idea that he would just be able to rise physically from his wheelchair and go up to heaven.” His mom added, “And he'd be free from all of the disabilities and limitations that he had here on the Earth.” Placed on top of Matthew’s epitaph that reads, “Sept. 23, 1988 - Feb. 29, 1999,” the parents said that the gravestone was the one thing that “gave us hope and peace.” 

Keith Van Otten, responsible for maintaining the Salt Lake City Cemetery, noted that gravestones are often not so unique. People are required to have a particular size for gravestones' maintenance. However, should they wish to have different ones like Matthew’s, they have a process. Over time, the precious sculpture has become popular among visitors. Otten noted that it resonates with many, “especially kids, because they see this little boy, kind of floating out of his wheelchair and he looks happy. I think it speaks to them.” 

Ever since, the monument has been going viral on social media, touching the hearts of many. @fasc1nate shared a glimpse of the gravestone on X. "I can't really explain what makes it come back up on the internet or why it suddenly becomes popular again. But it makes sense to me. It touches people in a special way,” Ernest said. Inspired by this love and connection, the Robisons started the “Ability Found,” a charity that works to provide equipment for the disabled or challenged. "I realize that death and disability are a worldwide concern and it's still good for people to see hope that they can rise to heaven and be healed and live a better life," Ernest said.

You can follow Ability Found (@abilityfound) on Instagram for more content on charity and disability.