Internet Reunites Girl with Teddy Bear, World Officially OK Place
It just was a scruffy toy bear, her fur a bit worn and stuffing getting lumpy, but Jessica Malcolm, 12, hadn't spent one night of her life without her. "Jessica's grandmother had a teddy bear shop and gave her Teddy when she was born," Jessica's mother, Libby Malcolm, told the Daily Telegraph, "and she has slept with her every single day since." That is, until Tuesday. Returning from a vacation in London to their home in Sydney, Australia, Jessica lost her treasured stuffed animal somewhere in the airport. "She absolutely balled her eyes out," said mom. "If you know Jess, you know that Teddy is a part of her life.
Related: Police Officer Stops Traffic for Teddy Bear
The following day, a family friend tweeted the hashtag #findteddy which struck gold when the actor and prolific tweeter Russel Crowe retweeted it.
The newscaster, Sarah Harris, also tweeted a picture along with a call for help.
Suddenly, one girl's heartbreak was transformed into a full-scale bear hunt that connected over 2.5 million people. The tweet reached the Australian Customs and Boarder Protection Service (ACBPS), and on Thursday morning, they reported, "After a thorough search, officers located the teddy safe, sound, and fast asleep in a Customs controlled area of the Airport." They added, "Although she didn't have a valid passport or any other travel documents, ACBPS officers were quick to establish her identity after a short interview and are confident she can be allowed into the country to be reunited with her family." They also reassured Jessica that Teddy was having fun on a sleepover with the ACBPS detector puppy.
Australian television and radio personality Kate Langbroek announced the good news.
"Jess woke up [on Thursday] and said she'd had a nightmare that we would never find Teddy-and then we got the call that she had been found," said Malcolm. "I never knew Teddy could have had so much of an impact-perfect strangers were wishing us well and helping us-it just restores your faith in humanity."
More on Yahoo: Woman is Two-Time Hero After Saving a Driver From Life Threatening Crash, Again
Only a month ago, social media helped another stuffed animal find its owner after being lost a King's Cross Station. The success of these reunions of toys with their beloved human children makes us ponder the life of Paddington, if only he had lived in the age of the Internet.
Also on Shine:
Puppy and Toddler Make Adorable Napping Duo
'90s Flashback: Actress Posts Real Diary Online and It's, Like, Hilarious
So This Happened: Toddler's Teddy Bear Save Baby Sloth's Life
