Son's toy sitting alone under the cabinet becomes a heartbreaking reminder for his grieving mom

There’s a wooden block tucked under Meshea Ingram’s china cabinet. It’s small, ordinary, and easy to miss, but it hasn’t moved in over three years. It is not because it was a forgotten block piece, but because it was left there by someone unforgettable. Her son, Briggs, placed it there during one of his many playful afternoons. He never came back for it. And now, in that corner of the living room, the block lies as it was. 

“This side of Heaven, he’ll never play in this living room again,” Meshea writes in a caption that has moved thousands. “But a piece of him still does.” On Instagram, where she shares her journey of grief and healing under the name @she_who_prays, Meshea posted a short video of the block with a simple question overlaid, “Why do you have a block that sits under your china cabinet?” Her answer comes in the next few seconds, something that carries the weight of every parent’s worst fear, “Because that’s where he left it, and he will never get to play with it again.” 

In another post, she explains that Briggs was a joyful, curious child. On the day everything changed, he wasn’t swimming. He wasn’t wearing his Coast Guard-approved life jacket, and it was not because of negligence, but because there wasn’t supposed to be any swimming. It was what experts call “non-swim time.” That’s when most drownings in small children happen. Not when families are gathered poolside or boating with floaties, but in the in-between moments, when the water is near, and a child is left alone for less than a minute. In Briggs’ case, it was enough. He found his way to the water, and in less than 30 seconds, he was gone.

Meshea uses her Instagram to speak out and share her grief, in a bid to spread awareness and not to scare other parents, but to equip them. Because this isn’t a singular incident, it’s one that repeats, in so many homes. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages one to four. Yet it is often not taken seriously how vulnerable children are during the ordinary, unsupervised minutes of a day. That’s why she continues to share her experience. Because she wishes someone had told her, she says. 

Replying to the thousands of comments and the outpouring of love, on her post, wherein people from across shared similar stories, and also stood in support of a mom who lost her little toddler,  she wrote, “Thank you to everyone who’s taken the time to comment, encourage, or simply pause and sit with this piece of our story,” she writes, grateful for the kindness and shared hearts that have shown up in her corner of the internet. Not every comment is kind, and she’s learned to expect that, but she hopes that this space remains one where compassion leads, where stories are honored, and where healing, however messy, is always welcome.

To follow her journey, you can find her on Instagram as @she_who_prays.