Pellow & Hill, Angel Casts & Waikato Stonecraft helps bereaved mum replace baby son’s headstone
Mistah Paewhenua’s headstone at a Hamilton cemetery was vandalised beyond repair, but local funeral directors and stonemasons have come to the rescue.
When Martha Paewhenua lost one of her twin babies, Mistah, in 2020 her life was turned upside down.
The death of a child is a grief that never truly fades but, for Martha, the pain was intensified by the destruction of Mistah’s headstone, a place where she had found comfort and connection.
Martha had found solace in regular visits to Mistah’s grave at Hamilton Park Cemetery.
“Baby’s grave used to be my therapy space where I would go to talk to him, cry to baby and be with him,” she said.
But with the headstone was vandalised beyond repair, that comfort was taken from her.
The entire cost of Mistah’s new headstone was covered by Angel Casts, Pellow and Hill Funeral Services and Waikato Stonecraft.
“I feel disconnected, sad and angry. Once upon a time it was a place I could find peace, but now it is a place I struggle to go to.”
Throughout this heartbreaking journey, Martha was supported by Jen from Angel Casts, a service that creates keepsakes for grieving families.
The organisation specialises in crafting 3D stone casts of babies’ hands and feet, capturing every delicate line and wrinkle—including fingerprints and skin texture – and can help bereaved parents preserve a physical memory of their child.
Enter the team from Pellow and Hill Funeral Services, who chose Angel Casts for a $1000 sponsorship, which was directed towards the cost of Mistah’s new headstone – produced by Craig and Jeff from Waikato Stonecraft.
However, there was still a financial gap to complete the project.
Moved by Martha’s story, Pellow and Hill took the sponsorship one step further and, understanding the need for a proper grieving space, committed to covering the remaining cost.
“We know the devastating effect not being able to grieve properly can have,” William Eagar-Savage from Pellow and Hill said.
“It was a very easy decision for us to make.”
Mistah’s new headstone has now been placed in the children’s section of Hamilton Park Cemetery. For Martha and her whānau, it is a long-awaited step toward healing, offering a peaceful place to honour the memory of their beloved baby.
