A weighted teddy bear born out of one Encinitas mother's unimaginable grief has grown into a program supporting grieving families across the country, from San Diego hospitals to people affected by tragedy. Marcella Johnson founded The Comfort Cub after losing her infant son, and what started with split peas has grown into a program supporting parents, survivors of violent crime, and disaster victims alike.
A Bear Built From Personal Loss
Johnson's son George died shortly after birth in 1999 from congenital heart disease, according to San Diego Magazine. In the aftermath, Johnson learned that other grieving women had found solace in inanimate objects, and she wanted to help mothers going through the same loss she had experienced.
She made her first prototype by hand after first buying split peas, then filled the bear with 6.7 pounds of lentils — George's weight. By 2019, the program had distributed more than 15,000 bears, according to Charity Matters. Johnson recalled leaving the hospital empty-handed after George's death, and the experience informed her effort to support other grieving parents. Early donations went to a local children's hospital and hospice organization, and the effort later established a nationwide hotline.
The Physical Toll of Grief
Johnson has said that after George's death she experienced stress-induced cardiomyopathy, also known as takotsubo syndrome or broken heart syndrome, along with aching in her arms. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy affects women more often than men and occurs when a surge of stress hormones temporarily enlarges and paralyzes part of the heart, according to the American Heart Association.
Johnson has said she found relief, in that period, from holding a terracotta pot of flowers — an early sign of the same instinct that would later shape her bears. The bears are specially weighted to provide deep-touch pressure.
From San Diego Hospitals to National Tragedies
In San Diego, the Comfort Cub's donation effort began at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns, according to Sharp HealthCare. The Encinitas-based nonprofit provides bears to support people experiencing grief and trauma.
The program's reach has extended well beyond maternity wards. Comfort Cubs have gone to families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting and the Las Vegas mass shooting, as well as to people affected by wildfires in Maui and Southern California. The program has also supported people affected by the 2025 Central Texas floods. The program supports individuals, families, and first responders affected by tragedy, trauma, and loss.
A Continuing Effort to Support Grieving Families
The Comfort Cub's work focuses on offering support to people and families experiencing grief and loss.
Johnson's work grew from the loss of George and her wish to support other grieving families.
