Support Kate in Memory of Charlie

This fundraiser is in support of Kate Osburn (of Guelph), the mother of 8 year old Charlie Hesselink, who was found dead in Cambridge on May 14, 2022. Mourning the loss of a child, particularly in these horrifying circumstances, is one of the worst things a mother can experience. In addition, Kate has been navigating health challenges due to Long Covid. The money from this fundraiser will go towards supporting Kate as she navigates this horrendous grief. Thank you so, so much to everyone who has donated so far.

Your donations are tremendously helpful and are used in the following ways:

Rent

Therapy

Medical costs not covered by OHIP

Here is a message from Kate with her story:

Hi Everyone, Kate here.

There are many things that I can’t speak about yet. What I can say is that Charlie died under suspicious circumstances while in the care of his dad, Curtis Hesselink. Curtis was found a week later, dead, apparently having committed suicide. Charlie’s death is being investigated as a homicide by the Major Crime Unit of the Waterloo Regional Police and the investigation is still open. We are still waiting on the full report from the coroner. Having to wait so long for official answers has been awful.

On May 14, 2022, I answered a knock on my door to find two police officers who had come to tell me that my sweet boy, my only child, was dead and that his dad was missing. I have been in agony ever since.

That night, undercover police officers were posted outside my home and I went to bed shattered, in shock and despair. The following week was full of conversations with the police, the coroner, and the funeral director. At the end of that week I was sobbing over the body of my little boy, unprepared for how cold his hands would be when I reached out to hold them, wishing I could crawl into the casket beside him. I chose a simple pine box for his casket, lined with a warm sleeping bag, and scrawled with colourful notes of love from his family. It seemed more fitting for a little boy who loved the outdoors than the frilly child’s casket in the funeral home catalogue.

The last several months have been excruciating. Every day I live in horror and agony and I miss Charlie with an ache that never stops.

I want to thank everyone who has donated so far. It has been so incredibly helpful, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I have included Charlie’s obituary below: he was beautiful and deserves to be remembered.

Charlie was vibrant, adventurous, energetic, playful, full of joy, and had a wonderful sense of humour. A kind, thoughtful, and tenacious boy, he was curious, sweet, and bold. He was brilliant at making connections and often made observations with depth.

Charlie was an outdoor kid through and through. He was often muddy, playing in the dirt, pretending to be a cat, making forts in the bushes, collecting worms, and admiring all kinds of creatures. His pockets revealed special rocks, sticks, little bones, and even a crayfish claw or two.

This year Charlie was given the Environmental Award at school, a reflection of his love and care for nature.

Charlie would build with whatever he could get his hands on. Whether it was with nature materials, Transformers, Lego, Minecraft, or drawing, he was often busy creating. It was clear, even from the age of three, that Charlie had the mind of an engineer.

Charlie had a significant impact on his peers. At public school and forest school, many children loved him and have described Charlie as a best friend, very kind, protective, and encouraging. An unassuming leader, his caring and empathetic attitude was on display when he often helped other students in positive ways.

It is impossible to sum up Charlie’s existence with a few paragraphs. He shone so very brightly and it was a delight to be with him. He is missed deeply, to the very limit of what the human heart can bear.