This Build-a-Bear is the only thing the little 4-year-old girl has of her mother.
A community is rallying behind a dad who is searching for his 4-year-old daughter's toy. It's no ordinary toy as the Build-a-Bear holds something incredibly valuable for the family. Tylor Kennedy said the bear somehow got inside a bag of donations he recently dropped off at a Goodwill store in Tazewell. Now he's desperately trying to find his daughter's favorite stuffed animal.
"My daughter’s mom passed away and her grandma made her a bear with her mom’s heartbeat in it," Kennedy told ABC affiliate WATE-TV. Once you press the tie-dyed rainbow bear's paw it reveals the late mom's precious heartbeat sound. He added that it is the only thing the little 4-year-old girl has of her mother. “Please, if y’all find it or see anybody that has one, just check or turn it in and I believe that somebody will get a reward if they dropped it off. I mean I know they’ll get their money back for sure,” pleaded Kennedy.
Dad Searching for 4-Year-Old's Bear That Plays Late Mom's Heartbeat and Was Accidentally Donated to Goodwill https://t.co/pexKZ2ayuY
— People (@people) April 18, 2023
Goodwill has been contacted by tons of people calling to say they hope the bear is found. "I can tell you, there's a reason we're called the Volunteer State," Cindy Dodson, a representative for Goodwill Industries-Knoxville, told PEOPLE. "Everybody rallies around to try to help. There are no strangers whenever something comes up. Everybody wants to try to help." They believe that the item may still be in Claiborne County.
Dodson said the family didn't realize the bear was in the bag of donations dropped off at the Goodwill store in Tazewell until they went to get the bear. "And it had already been sold by the time they came back to the store to see if it was there. When items come in, our staff automatically want to get them out on the floor," explained Dodson, who added that unfortunately, employees have "no way of knowing if an item was donated by mistake or if it had a sentimental value." The unique Teddy Bears also often get picked up by people pretty quickly. "Build-a-Bears are so recognizable," added the rep. "If you see a Build-a-Bear at a thrift store, a lot of people will grab it. They're one of a kind."
A sign has also been placed in the Goodwill asking for the return of the bear. "Our heart breaks for the family," said the store's representative. "We have a sign on our door as well for customers, making them aware and doing everything that we can to try to help that family find the bear." The sign, which was posted on social media by local radio station WRIL, read, "PLEASE if you have it, return to this store so we can reunite them."
If you or anyone has information regarding the lost bear, the father is asking that the person who purchased it kindly turn it in to the Goodwill store.
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Cover Image Source: Facebook | The Big ONE 106.3 FM WRIL
