Family searching for package sent by uncle days before his death

Editor’s Note: This story contains references to suicide. If you or a loved one is at risk of self-harm, Canada’s mental health helpline can be reached at 988, with the BC Crisis Centre at 1-800-784-2433. Translation services are available.

A very special, and irreplaceable, package has gone missing, and a woman in New Westminster and her family are begging for help to find it.

Ashley Gould explains that her uncle Ed Bakker died by suicide on Nov. 20, but just days earlier he had sent his sister a package.

“We found out [about his death] on Nov. 25 … and when we went to clean out his apartment in Victoria, we found a receipt for a package, which had been shipped by Canada Post on Nov. 14, to my mom, who also lives in New West,” Gould told 1130 NewsRadio on Tuesday.

“Because of the postal strike, obviously we had to sit in limbo. He had left the tracking number on the receipt, so we had tracking for it. And once Canada Post was up and running last Tuesday, I was frantically checking it,” she added.

Last Wednesday, Gould and her mom got the great news that the package had been delivered.

Except it wasn’t there.

“My mom lives in an apartment building, and it said [it was delivered at] 6:40 a.m., so we didn’t think that was true. We contacted Canada Post, and they said that it’s probably going to be at a pickup location in a day or two, so to be patient,” she said.

“Then on Thursday, my mom went to the pickup location, there was nothing yet. Friday, same thing. Then yesterday, we called and they said, ‘Actually, it’s been miss-sorted and it’s gone into the pile of Amazon returns, and there’s nothing more we can do,’” Gould added.

Gould’s mother spoke to a supervisor, who informed the family that there was a “slim-to-none chance” of recovering the package, “but we’ll see in the new year.”

“Their suggestions were to have the sender start a claim, or to contact Amazon and create a ticket,” she explained. “I apologized to the person I spoke with, because I felt bad for saying it, but I was like, ‘The sender is no longer with us and can’t start a claim, and that’s not really what it’s about.’”

“It’s not about starting a claim and getting compensation. It’s about getting the package,” Gould said.

While she has opened a ticket with Amazon, Gould says it’s not that company’s fault or responsibility, nor would it likely be in their system.

Trying to think of other ways to find the package, Gould took to social media site Reddit in hopes of connecting with anyone who might have an in to help find the really important package.

“A few people have reached out to me directly to say that they would keep an eye out for it; basically some boots on the ground. But we still don’t have any answers,” she said. “I know it’s Christmas Eve, but I’m just desperate to try and get some help, because Canada Post has, unfortunately, not given us anything more than, ‘We lost it,’ and that’s it.”

The hunt for the package is complicated, Gould appreciates, as neither she nor her mom knows what’s contained or what the package looks like.

“It’s not the monetary value, it’s just sentimental. We have our assumptions, we’re wondering if there’s a letter in there, or something like that. This isn’t just any ordinary parcel,” she said.

“Unfortunately, because of the circumstances, I don’t have a description of the package. All I have is the name of the sender, the weight, I have the volume equivalent … but no dimensions or anything like that, or description of the package.”

Gould explains that since her uncle’s death, it’s been a whirlwind of emotions.

“[When my mom] knew the package was coming, she said, ‘I don’t think I can emotionally handle opening it before Christmas.’ And now all she wants is to have the package.

“She just wants to have some closure, to at least have it in her possession and know that it’s not just lost somewhere,” she explained.

Bakker was a very special person, Gould says. “He had a lot of struggles, but I’m happy that he’s at peace. We just want this closure of receiving whatever he felt was important enough to send to us in his final days.”

“We miss him, but this is one way we can remember him, however he wanted us to remember him, whatever he wanted us to have, specifically.

“We just want that back,” she explained.

Bakker is being remembered not just by his family, but the tennis community in Victoria and across North America.

He was a formidable tennis player and coach, Gould explains, even creating his own teaching method called Wild Tennis.

“His contributions to tennis throughout his life are immeasurable, and there are few who shared his all-encompassing passion for our sport. Ed taught kids and adults how to play tennis with patience and humour, and his Wild Tennis program helped transform the learn-to-play process in a way that was fun and engaging,” Canadian Senior Tennis shared on Facebook.

A very loving and loved, brother, friend, uncle, and more, Gould says he was thoughtful and caring right up until the end.

“The fact that he had the forethought to send us this final package in the days leading up to his suicide just goes to show how he was always thinking about others even when he was clearly in so much pain,” she said.

In a statement to 1130 NewsRadio, Canada Post says it apologizes for this “unfortunate and frustrating experience and our condolences to the family.”

The organization confirms that it is looking into the case, and will provide further information at a later date.