Missing Massachusetts Stuffed Animal Carrying Precious Cargo
A Massachusetts woman has taken to social media for help finding a beloved stuffed animal that is carrying some precious cargo.
We all had that one toy growing up that held some kind of sentimental value.
For me, don't laugh, it was my Steve Urkel doll. There was something so comforting about pulling his string and hearing him say his "Family Matters" catchphrase, "Did I Do That?"
This lost toy holds sentimental value to Mary Mellinger Kirk, whose father gave it to her now 22-year-old son, Paul, when he was 1.
Paul's grandfather, who died March 31, 2018, was cremated and a vial of his ashes was later placed inside the cat.
Mary, an Agawam resident, said in a Facebook appeal that the gesture was to demonstrate her father "would always be with my son."
Long story short, the item accidentally found its way to a donation pile that was then given to thrift retailer Savers in West Springfield, where it was sold.
Now the family is trying to get this one-of-a-kind stuffed animal back.
"My son Paul took care of my father the last year of my father's life. He was named after my dad and we even gave him the same last name," Mary wrote.
Bringing the cat home is so important to the family that they initially posted a $250 reward for its return. The reward was recently raised to $350.
I spoke with Mary, whose Facebook post has been shared more than 6,000 times. She is sharing her story in the hope that someone will be able to offer helpful information or return the cat directly.
While my Urkel doll doesn't house the remains of a loved one, I'm sure it is either lost in storage somewhere or has made its way to a landfill. Still, I'd be pretty happy to see it and pull its string one more time.
I'm hoping the Kirk family's treasure gets found and put back in the hands of those to whom it means so much.
Do you have a stuffed animal or toy from your youth that you can remember?
Maybe you have one stored in the attic that would definitely bring a smile to your face if you take it out of its box.