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5-Year-Old's Beloved Teddy Bear Lost 4,200 Miles Away At Disney World Miraculously Returned

July 6, 2024

Today's good news story comes from Darlington, England.

A heartwarming reunion took place when a young girl from England was reunited with her cherished teddy bear, Jofli, after losing the beloved toy over 4,000 miles away in Disney World, Florida.

Photo credit: Lynne Cullen

Five-year-old Leilani Hatton of Darlington had recently enjoyed a family trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, but returned home without her precious bear.

Grandma Lynne Cullen, 63, shared that Leilani took the "journey of life" bear everywhere. These bears come with an online journal where owners can document their adventures.

"She carried it everywhere with her, collecting all the Disney Princesses’ signatures. We have photographs of her with this bear and all the Disney princesses," Cullen said.

One day during the trip, they returned to their hotel and realized the bear was missing.

Photo credit: Lynne Cullen

Despite searching, the family had to leave Disney World and return to Darlington without Jofli, losing hope of ever seeing the teddy again. However, about two weeks later, a package arrived on their doorstep, bringing unexpected joy. Disney employees had somehow found the beloved stuffed animal and mailed it 4,200 miles back to Hatton’s home.

"She was over the moon when we got him back," Cullen said. "We surprised her and let her open the parcel, telling her that Mickey Mouse found it for her. The teddy has always been important to her, so she was delighted."

Leilani's dad, David Hatton, 38, praised Disney's customer service and handling of the situation. He expressed amazement at the park's effort, saying, “We never thought in a million years that we’d get it back, because Disney is massive, it’s like five parks. There’s no way anyone’s going to find it, hand it in, and know whose it is."

Leilani was thrilled to have her bear back and proudly took it to school for a show-and-tell presentation. She even wrote an adorable thank-you note to Mickey Mouse, saying, “Dear Mickey, thank you for finding Jofli. Love, Lani.”