A search is underway at Busch Gardens for a pink teddy bear that has not only an incredible story, but sentimental value to a little girl and her family. Here's the story:
Willian Gamez bought the bear on his newborn daughter's birthday...
“My daughter, Laylah, she was born St. Paddy's Day last year… That day that she was born, I bought her that bear. She was always with it. Her big sister loved it. Her sister was always trying to take it from her."
Sadly in May, Laylah got sick...and in June passed away at just 3 months old. The family has had that little pink teddy bear ever since and a reminder of their little girl.
“When she passed away in June, we kept the bear. We put it on the shelf and then her sister wanted it. So we let her sister have it and every time she would look at it, she would say, ‘sissy, sissy,’ and it would make her feel closer, I guess.”
Over the weekend, they went to Busch Gardens as a family and the pink Teddy came along. But about three hours into their day, they realized it was gone.
"We noticed the bear was missing. We were around Falcon's Fury where the elephants are. We stopped and looked and were like, 'Where's the bear?' and I went back, looking around everywhere. I couldn't find it."
They even took to social media to help get the word out:
"Me and my fiancé went to Busch Gardens Saturday and lost this pink teddy bear. Nobody has turned it in and this is very sentimental to us," he wrote. "We got this after our daughter passed away. Whoever has it can you please return it."
The team at Busch Gardens has been searching for the bear but no luck so far. If you have any information or have found the bear, please call 727-331-3713.
Good luck to the family. We hope you find her.