Living December 21, 2020

Woman makes heartwarming Christmas ornament from late husband's glasses

WATCH: Evolution of the Christmas tree

A woman who made a Christmas ornament from her husband's glasses is warming people's hearts after sharing her creation in a viral Facebook post.

Christy Hester of Twin Lake, Michigan, saved her husband's glasses after he died in January. In his memory, she used the glasses, pipe cleaners, acrylic paint and a marker to craft a snowman ornament to hang on the tree.

Pictures of the ornament were shared by thousands after Hester added them to a public Facebook group called Rainbows over Michigan.

"I'm a middle school teacher, and I said to the kids, 'Am I going viral?'" Hester told "Good Morning America." "I asked what do you guys think is a lot [of likes], and they said 10,000. I said, 'I'm up to 18,000.' So, I went up a couple notches in the cool factor, I guess."

Christy Hester
Richard Hester, 89, of Twin Lake, Michigan, died Jan. 5. Richard was a father of five. Seen in this undated photo is Richard and his wife of 27 years, Christy Hester.
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"His glasses always sat at the bedside table," Hester added. "Some things you keep, and some things you don't. I decided to keep them."

Christy Hester
On Dec. 13, Christy Hester of Twin Lake, Michigan, shared a post on Facebook showing the ornament she created from her late husband Richard Hester's glasses. Richard died Jan. 5, 2020.
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Richard Hester died in his home on Jan. 5 surrounded by family. The 89-year-old father of five had heart and lung complications, which were not coronavirus-related.

Richard and Christy Hester had two children and two grandchildren. Hester described her husband as a man with a great sense of humor who loved fishing on his pontoon boat while Hester read a book beside him.

Christy Hester
On Dec. 13, Christy Hester of Twin Lake, Michigan, shared a post on Facebook showing the ornament she created from her late husband Richard Hester's glasses. Richard died Jan. 5, 2020.
Christy Hester
Richard Hester, 89, of Twin Lake, Michigan, died Jan. 5. Richard was a father of five.

After Richard died, Hester sought support from online grief groups. On one page, she saw an idea to transform Richard's glasses into an ornament. She later made another using his second pair.

Hester said there were "lots of tears" during the process, though she's grateful to have reached so many through her project.

Christy Hester
Richard Hester, 89, of Twin Lake, Michigan, died Jan. 5. Richard was a father of five. Seen in this undated photo is Richard and his wife of 27 years, Christy Hester. The couple shared two children and two grandchildren together.

"I've appreciated the prayer and condolences from people I've never met and probably will never meet, because for whatever reason, this has touched their hearts," she added.

Christy Hester
On Dec. 13, Christy Hester of Twin Lake, Michigan, shared a post on Facebook showing the ornament she created from her late husband Richard Hester's glasses. Richard died Jan. 5, 2020.

Hester said the ornaments will likely be passed on to younger generations within her family.