Ryan Reynolds Helps Return A Stolen Teddy Bear, And Grab Your Tissues
If one of your parents, just before they passed away, gave you a gift that contained an audio message recording, what would you do if it got stolen?
That's what took place for one woman making a move from Toronto to Vancouver, when someone stole an important bag as she loaded her U-Haul. A thief stole a teddy bear that held a message her mom left before she died of cancer. That was enough to get a lot of people involved, including Ryan Reynolds.
A Mother's Final Words
This is Marilyn Soriano, the mother of Mara Soriano. While battling for her life, she made sure to give her daughter one last gift that she could take with her wherever she ventured in life.
The Special Bear
Soriano's mother gifted her with this stuffed bear before she lost her battle to cancer in 2019. It was more than a farewell gift: it also contained a recording that her daughter could listen to whenever she missed her mom.
Unfortunately, Something Tragic Happened
One week in July of 2020, Soriano had a hectic move where a bag filled with valuables, including the bear, ended up getting stolen. Footage captured the man with the object, and it then became an all-out hunt to retrieve the stolen goods.
"I Hugged It Every Time I Missed Her"
The bear had a special message, as Soriano explained to CNN: "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."
Mom's Lasting Impression
Sadly, Soriano's mom lost her battle to cancer on June 29, 2019, at the age of 53. The bear sports the same black-framed glasses that her mom would wear. "It was her signature look," Soriano said.
A Friend Got Into Bike Accident During Move
On the day of the move to Vancouver with her fiancé, one of Soriano's friends got into a biking accident. That's what left her belongings open for the taking. "I dropped everything next to the U-Haul and just tried to make my way to my friend as quickly as possible," Soriano said.
Time To Get Her Things Back
When the thief took the bag, he walked away with the bear as well as a number of important documents and items. The bag also contained Soriano's passport, citizenship paperwork, insurance cards, an iPad, and a Nintendo Switch. That's a pretty big haul for one bag, and it must have been devastating for Soriano.
Help From The Local News
A Vancouver reporter named Deborah Goble got involved in the action, hoping that her pull would reach a good amount of people. Someone immediately asked for details in the comments.
Responding To Leads!
As more people became aware of this story, Soriano began receiving more support! It was good news, but would she end up reuniting with this beloved teddy bear? The odds seemed stacked against her.
Making Backup Plans
In a situation like this, there's no telling if you'll receive your items back. Soriano and others knew this, so that's why this person was kind enough to offer help in getting a replacement.
Ryan Reynolds Gets Involved!
Actor Ryan Reynolds caught wind of this story and decided to up the ante. He offered $5,000 to anyone who returned this special bear to Soriano. "I think we all need this bear to come home," Reynolds tweeted.
Zach Braff Joins The Party
After Reynolds tweeted his support for the bear, Zach Braff retweeted his message and echoed Reynold's sentiments. Surely, with this many eyes on it, Soriano would see her prized possession again, don't you think?
Hello, Dan Levy
As if Reynolds and Braff weren't already enough, Dan Levy joins in on the action. That's three celebrities invested in seeing this bear come home. Soriano probably felt pretty good about her chances at this point.
Video Journalist Does A Set For Soriano
At this point, it feels like the whole city had their eyes on this case and wanted to see the bear come home. What more could happen to solve this mystery?
The iPad Finally Starts Up!
With the tracking capabilities that iPads possess, Soriano waited patiently for her stolen one to ping her. When it finally did, her excitement grew, but she realized that the original thief probably sold it.
Real Footage Of The Theif!
Soriano received footage of the real thief at the scene of the crime! It wasn't too revealing, but this footage was enough to get the ball rolling in a positive direction.
Needing To Take A Break
As you can imagine, things were a bit overwhelming for Soriano, even as she got closer to finding the bear. She explained how she needed a day to rest—can you blame her?
She Couldn't Give Up Just Yet
Soriano took time to tweet out a message about her mom. In the tweet, she said she wanted to tell her mom how the whole world wanted to see her win. After this tweet, she got a pleasant surprise.
Reunited And It Feels So Good!
The people of Vancouver pulled together and made Soriano the happiest she could be after going through all of that. Two good Samaritans took the bear from the original thief and did the right thing.
"Vancouver Is Awesome"
Reynolds heard about the good news and showed more love for Soriano. The bear was safe, and it had found its way back to Soriano thanks to some kindhearted citizens. You're right, Mr. Reynolds, Vancouver is awesome.
