WASHINGTON D.C., DC — After an outpouring of support, a Canadian woman has been reunited with a very special teddy bear that was stolen during a move.
Mara Soriano was moving to a new apartment last week in Vancouver when a friend needed help suddenly, so she left one of her bags in an unsecured area.
When she got back, the bag was stolen. Inside the bag was a number of items, including a teddy bear with a recording from her mother, who died in June 2019 from cancer.
Soriano told CBC Canada that she was "absolutely crushed" and "devastated" when her bear was stolen.
The search to find her bear went viral after actor Ryan Reynolds offered $5,000 for the precious item's return. After seeing Soriano's story, Reynolds tweeted, "Zero questions asked. I think we all need this bear to come home."
Soriano announced Wednesday that her bear was finally home.
"In happier news... thank you everyone who searched high and low. To the person who took the bear, thanks for keeping it safe. Vancouver is awesome," Reynolds tweeted.
When the bear first disappeared, Soriano explained that it was "so important to me because she had a recording on it that was specifically just for me that said she loved me, she was proud of me, and she'll always be with me."
Her mother, Marilyn Soriano, died of cancer in June of 2019 at the age of 53. She said of the bear, "I hugged it every time I missed her."
