Now Heather has taken the stuffed animals down, with plans to donate them, but her monument was up for over a month, so what’s left of them after that long outside in Rochester, NY?!

Here’s a copy of Mommy’s e-mail to the writer of the original article. We think Mommy is beary smart sometimes!

Living in Philly, I know how heavy it feels when so many are murdered in our cities, and there is so little we can do about it. On the other hand, I think the "sculpture" of Teddy Bears does nothing for the problem, but also gives nothing to the ones dealing with their loved ones' deaths.

Instead of sticking teddy bears to a base, those same bears could have had a more helpful part in healing the pain. Many police, firefighters, and other first responders keep teddies in their vehicles to give to victims or family members of violent crimes or great losses, like burnt out homes. Using so many, first responders love people contributing more for them to hand out. A teddy bear left at the site of a violent crime does nothing but get wet and eventually is trashed, because of the mold and deterioration. Even stuck on wood or metal, doesn't change the uselessness of these wonderful, sympathetic, cathartic stuffed toys. A better memorial would be to give them to first responders, so they can be life-long hugs of support for the families, or to give them directly to the grieving families as a way of remembering their loss with something soft, and gentle, a perfect companion, when they just need to feel understood.