Little girl given new teddy bear with late mum's heartbeat after accidentally donating it
The little girl has been given a new teddy bear with a recording of her late mum's heartbeat inside after her father accidentally donated it.
The father-daughter duo were left in bits after realising that the sentimental toy had been mistakenly given to a Goodwill store in New Tazewell, Tennessee, last month.
Since, then the four-year-old girl has finally been reunited with the sounds of her mother's heartbeat once again, after the community all pitched in in a touching group effort.
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The child's dad put out a plea after it dawned on him the heartbreaking Build-a-Bear blunder he had made.
After returning to Goodwill in a desperate hope to find the bear, he found that it had already gone.
A state-wide search for the plush toy commenced with the store itself getting involved to help reconcile the daughter with her mum's memory.
Talking to Today about the ordeal, a spokesperson for Goodwill said: "It was a complete mistake. When the father came back and saw that it was sold, his heart sank.
"Unfortunately our staff don’t know if something is donated by mistake or has sentimental value.
"We’re doing our best to get the word out that this little girl would like her teddy bear back, and we’re hopeful that she will."
And, while the little girl hasn't got that specific bear back, she has come pretty darn close.
The girl's father explained to local news station, WATE, that his daughter's grandmother was the one who made the child a bear with her mum’s heartbeat in it.
Tennessee radio station, WRIL, soon caught light of the news and shared it to social media upon which it garnered worldwide attention.
During the frantic search for the bear, the toy manufacturer itself got in touch with WRIL for a description of the customised stuffed animal.
Build-A-Bear Public Relations Director, Jamie Ludwig, revealed that the company was heartbroken after finding out about the story, WRIL reports.
Taking no time, the lovely lot at the Build-A-Bear warehouse searched through their archives and miraculously managed to locate a matching Rainbow Sparkle Bear, and even added in the original recording, which was provided to the news outlet by the little girl’s grandmother.
The outlet reported that the new teddy was later sent out to the radio station who then gave it to Cynthia Dodson, Communications Director of Goodwill in Knoxville.
Dodson later met up with the little girl and her father to, at long last, reunite the daughter with the sounds of her late mother's heartbeat once again.
According to WRIL, the father thanked the radio station a number of times and said just how he grateful he was for the incredible effort everyone had put into trying to help his family through this tough time.
Tyla has reached out to Build-A-Bear for comment.
Rhiannon Ingle