SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Randi Wittak's kitchen table is full of fabric, stuffing, a sewing machine and clothes that once belonged to others.
The supplies are a recipe for teddy bears.
Wittak started making these bears after her high school friend, Mathew Morrow, drowned in Newport Harbor in Aug. 2022. He was just 32 years old.
“I was at a low part in my life and it really hit me hard and being able to do this was really like a life changing move on my end," said Wittak.
Mathew's mother, Debra Morrow, gave Wittak her son's old clothes to turn into teddy bears.
Wittak made dozens of them for Mathew's friends and family.
“It was like, therapeutic to remember these good memories of him in this outfit, and it’s weird how clothes can do that," said Wittak.
Mathew's mother called these bears "important," saying many people do not know what to do with the clothes leftover after someone dies.
“They’re huggable. They’re just absolutely close to my heart," said Morrow.
As word started spreading, Wittak began making bears not only for people who lost loved ones, but also for important memories.
“For me, to be able to bring something to somebody who’s having a hard time and that can just make just their day just a little bit better... that fuels my fire," said Wittak.
She has created an Instagram page for her brand, Clothes Two My Heart.
Wittak is currently a teacher at Bonita High School and does not have specific plans for her teddy-bear-building side hustle. She says she is looking forward to seeing where it takes her.
