By Amy Beth Hanson -
The Associated Press
A 6-year-old girl thought she had lost forever the teddy bear that accompanied her everywhere since she was adopted from an orphanage in Ethiopia, after
forgetting it on a trail
in Glacier National Park last year.
Her parents and friends joined forces and launched a petition through social networks to try to recover the precious doll of little Naomi Pascal.
Thanks to the insightful sight of a ranger, who was touched by the story, and the closure of a hiking trail due to grizzly bear activity, the bear has returned to the girl's arms in Jackson, Wyoming.
Ben Pascal and his daughter Naomi, when she was adopted from Ethiopia.
The little girl holds the famous 'Teddy' in her hands. Ben Pascal / AP via NBC News
"It was a story of hope and goodness, and of people working together. It reached people's hearts. It gave them hope. It made them feel that there is goodness in the world and I believe there is," explained the minor's father. , Ben Pascal, senior pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Jackson Hole, a popular ski town south of Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park.
'Teddy', as the plush toy is called, was
the first gift
Ben and his wife Addie Pascal sent Naomi before they were adopted in 2016. Since then he has accompanied her on family trips to Ethiopia, Rwanda, Croatia and Greece.
In October 2020 they all went on vacation to Montana.
But one night, when they were returning from an excursion, they realized that 'Teddy' was lost.
[Hiker gets lost in Colorado but ignores rescue team calls from "an unknown number"]
The heavy snow that fell that night prevented the family from trying to locate the doll, so they sent a letter to those responsible for the park in the hope that
someone would deliver the bear to a lost and found office
.
It was a story of hope and goodness, and of people working together.
It reached the hearts of the people "
ben pascal father of the girl
'Teddy' was found shortly after by ranger Tom Mazzarisi, somewhat spoiled, soaked and sitting on snowmelt near the Hidden Lake trail, but unaware that he was wanted.
"Normally, objects that don't have a lot of monetary value are thrown away," Mazzarisi revealed.
But
something made her not let go of him
.
After a few months kept in his house, the ranger decided to put it on the dashboard of his patrol truck, as if it were a pet.
They rescue three hikers lost for days on a mountain in northern Arizona
Jan. 28, 202100: 21
This June, Naomi's mother posted on Facebook a request to find her daughter's stuffed animal: "He has been by her side in many events. But
there are still many adventures to live
."
The message received an avalanche of responses predicting a happy ending and offering bears that could replace 'Teddy'.
But
'Teddy' is irreplaceable
, so a family friend named Terri Hayden decided to return to the national park in September to track down the areas where the doll can be found.
"I'm a woman of faith. And that morning I said, 'Okay Lord, if this bear is around, please put him in my way and let me go home to him today," the woman explained.
And that is exactly what happened.
Hayden and a niece of hers saw a teddy bear in a ranger's truck.
He sent a photo to Ben Pascal and it was
quickly confirmed that it was 'Teddy'
.
[This lost hiker saved his life thanks to this photograph and the strange hobby of an unknown person]
It was Mazzarisi's free day and his vehicle was locked.
But Hayden spoke to other rangers who opened the vehicle and returned the bear to him.
Hayden sent the bear to Naomi, who was thrilled to be reunited with 'Teddy'.
At the same time, he bought another teddy bear for Mazzarisi, which next spring will travel in his truck on his dashboard.