Posted on 10/14/2011 7:57:49 AM PDT by hoagy62
SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. -- When a bear is lost in the mountains, it hardly garners a mention.
When a bear lost in the mountains belongs to a little girl, it can mobilize an army. Sometimes that army - online and in person - can make a miracle happen.
The story of the bear nicknamed "Daddy Bear" begins on Tuesday night. Six-year old Justice Wadsworth and her family were driving back from a trip to see family in Idaho when Justice got carsick along Interstate 90. In the rush to get her out of the car and onto the side of the highway near Ellensburg, Daddy Bear fell out and went for a trip of his own.
"I remember seeing the pillow go up to the top of the car, and I remember vaguely seeing something white, too," said Wadsworth's grandmother, Patty Sweeney. "It's heart-wrenching because it means so much to her," she said, fighting back tears.
Most teddy bears don't typically bring tears, but this one is different. Justice's real dad, Sgt. Claudio Wadsworth, is stationed with the army in South Korea. He sent Daddy Bear to his daughter when he was deployed to Afghanistan four years ago. The teddy bear was meant to be there while he's away.
"That's Daddy when Daddy's gone," Sweeney added. "She goes to bed with him every night."
"It makes me feel like…I'm cuddling with my dad," said Justice. "We couldn't find him. I was still sad, so I was crying. And the more I cry, the sadder I get."
With Daddy Bear missing somewhere along Interstate 90 between the Thorp fruit stand and Elk Heights, Sweeney took to Facebook. On Wednesday, she posted a note on the page for the Washington State Department of Transportation, who then tweeted about it. Within 24 hours, ordinary citizens and seasoned state employees were searching the side of the highway for the missing teddy bear.
"I honestly didn't think anybody would find him," Sweeney said. "I mean, who finds a teddy bear lying on the side of the road?"
On Thursday, Sweeney's phone rang. It was WSDOT, calling with the news that two maintenance workers found Daddy Bear, tucked into a bush, sandwiched on the side of the road, surprisingly clean after being protected from rain and road debris.
And on Thursday evening, on their own time, those two seasoned state employees made the three and a half hour trip from Cle Elum to Sedro-Woolley to make sure a little girl didn't spend another night without Daddy Bear.
"When my daughter was born, I bought her a similar teddy bear," said Harry Nelson, assistant maintenance superintendent for WSDOT. "She's 13 now, and she still cherishes the thing and won't part with it. We both really understand that it's really important to a child."
"I have never been asked whether there was a teddy bear I had to go find out there somewhere," added Terry Kukes, an area maintenance and operations superintendent who has been with the WSDOT for 33 years. "At least she'll sleep tonight."
"It means the world to her to have that bear," added Sweeney. "For them to do that on their own time is amazing. I just want to thank them. From the bottom of my heart I want to thank them for doing that."
That is a great story and a shining ray of loving light in these times of dark clouds. Thanks for sharing that.
God bless them and keep them strong and well, in Jesus name, amen.
Thank you so much for posting this beautiful story. Yes... there are good people in the world!
Given the opportunity, most Americans will gladly help others. Unfortunately, too many are being influenced by the welfare state and liberal politics to say, “Ain’t my job. or Let someone else do it.” Years ago, before welfare, public housing, and foods tamps, few if any went hungry or without the necessities. Their neighbors, a church, or even strangers would help out. Of course, they couldn’t drive their Cadillacs or wear their mink coats and still receive aid.
I have a stuffed elephant that my Grandfather gave me on my fist Christmas and he told me whenever I was afraid that it would be with me when he wasn’t there....he said that a lot to me and then he died when I was 3 yo.I still have it.I’m glad they found her bear I know how I felt when I thought I’d lost it and I was an adult.
I have a stuffed elephant that my Grandfather gave me on my first Christmas and he told me whenever I was afraid that it would be with me when he wasn’t there....he said that a lot to me and then he died when I was 3 yo.I still have it.I’m glad they found her bear I know how I felt when I thought I’d lost it and I was an adult.
God bless those workers and prayers that the little girl’s father comes home safely.
God bless those workers and prayers that the little girl’s father comes home safely.
My monitor has become suddenly, unexpectedly and inexplicably blurry.
Thanks for posting the story anyway.
:-)
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