VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A heartbreaking story finally has a happy ending.
A woman who was moving in Vancouver had a bag of items stolen. Inside, along with electronic and other important items and documents, was what looked like a simple teddy bear.
But the bear, which was irreplaceable to Mara Soriano, was the one thing she wanted back as it contained a recording of her mother’s voice. Her mother died of cancer in 2019.
“At hospice her voice was different. Much softer. Not the mom I grew up with. That bear is the last memory I have of her speaking in her normal voice,” Soriano told CBC.
Mara Soriano is desperately seeking this teddy bear stolen in Vancouver's West End. It has a final message from her mother, Marilyn, who died of cancer in 2019. Mara shared this video with @cbcnewsbc pic.twitter.com/GJYLu7QjK1
— Liam Britten (@liam_britten) July 26, 2020
News of the stolen bear went viral, even getting the attention of Ryan Reynolds who offered a $5,000 reward for the bear’s return.
Vancouver: $5,000 to anyone who returns this bear to Mara. Zero questions asked. I think we all need this bear to come home. https://t.co/L4teoxoY50
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) July 25, 2020
Soriano searched everywhere for the bear, accompanied by CBC news crews.
No luck finding Mara's lost bear today. But she's not giving up! #findmarasbear @cbcnewsbc @VancityReynolds @drawmaradraw pic.twitter.com/J8TegTDH8r
— Deborah Goble (@CBCDeborahGoble) July 28, 2020
Surveillance video was also released of the bag that contained the bear in hopes of getting the stuffed animal back.
This week, two men found the bear and returned it to Soriano at the CBC studios. They said they took the stuffed animal from the man who took the bag.
We went into the newsroom and Dan shot this video. 2 men brought the bear to the CBC lobby. Mara and I were there. The happy ending we all needed. https://t.co/ObV9uk3NVG
— Deborah Goble (@CBCDeborahGoble) July 29, 2020
CBC reporter Deborah Goble said the recording is safe.
BREAK OUT THE @AviationGin, @VancityReynolds!!! MAMABEAR IS HOME!!! #FOUNDMARASBEAR pic.twitter.com/9yxTsiKWYd
— mara soriano | FIND MAMABEAR VANCOUVER (@drawmaradraw) July 29, 2020
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