Girl is given a ‘huggable hero’ doll of her Navy father

‘Dadda!’: Adorable moment little girl is given a ‘huggable hero’ doll of her Navy father to comfort her while he is stationed overseas

  • Natalie Helsel, from Florida, smiles with delight when she is given the toy
  • She throws packaging out of box before delving inside and retrieving the doll 
  • Mother Katie watches on as her daughter gives the toy a tight squeeze and kiss 

This is the the heartwarming moment a little girl smiles with glee when she is given a special doll of her U.S. Navy father who is stationed overseas in Japan.  

The footage, which was captured in Jacksonville, Florida, shows 19-month-old Natalie Helsel hug and kiss the special navy doll after her mother Katie asks her to open a mystery box in their home. 

An excited Natalie throws the packaging out of the box before delving inside and retrieving the toy that has a picture of her father Richard printed on it. 

Natalie Helsel, from Jacksonville, Florida, smiles with delight when she is presented with a special navy doll of her father Richard

The little girl, whose father is stationed overseas in Japan, is told by her mother Katie to open a large brown box in their home

The little girl, whose father is stationed overseas in Japan, is told by her mother Katie to open a large brown box in their home 

After pulling all the packaging out of the box, Natalie finds the cushioned toy at the bottom and pulls it out

After pulling all the packaging out of the box, Natalie finds the cushioned toy at the bottom and pulls it out

During the clip, which was filmed on December 15, the young girl opens the large brown box and pulls packaging out of it. 

She finds the cushioned toy at the bottom of the box and is asked by her mother: ‘What’s that? Turn it around. Look. Who’s on there?’ 

Mother Katie then turns the toy over and reveals the picture of Natalie’s father leaving the young girl smiling in delight and saying: ‘Dada’.

The infant then squeezes the doll tightly against her face before lovingly looking back at Richard’s image and then kissing it and giving it more hugs.

Katie first decided to surprise her daughter with the toy after she saw Natalie grab and cuddle one of Richard’s uniforms while she was clearing out a cupboard. 

The young girls spots the picture on the toy and gives it a squeeze

The infant smiles with joy and gives the doll a kiss

Natalie smiles with delight before giving the ‘huggable hero’ doll a tight squeeze and a kiss (left an right)

Mother Katie first decided to surprise her daughter when she saw Natalie (pictured with Richard) grab and cuddle one of Richard's uniforms

Mother Katie first decided to surprise her daughter when she saw Natalie (pictured with Richard) grab and cuddle one of Richard’s uniforms

Katie (left with Natalie and Richard) said her daughter loves stuffed animals and dolls so she decided to give her a gift that had her father on it

Katie (left with Natalie and Richard) said her daughter loves stuffed animals and dolls so she decided to give her a gift that had her father on it

Knowing her daughter identifies Richard, who will return home in April, with his uniform, Katie wanted to surprise her with a Daddy Doll to comfort her while he was overseas.  

Katie said: ‘Natalie identifies her dad with his uniform, they have the strongest bond – she is such a daddy’s girl. 

‘A few days after he left we had just hung up the phone from FaceTiming and she would just cry and shake the phone. She had a very rough start but seems to be adjusting well now. 

‘She loves stuffed animals and dolls so I figured what better gift than one with her daddy on it. 

‘I knew she would love it but I was totally not expecting that – she clearly misses her daddy from her reaction. 

‘She sleeps with it every night and carries it around all day, he also has to go with us in the car.’

Katie said her daughter (right with Richard) identifies Richard with his uniform and so she decided to surprise her with a Daddy doll

Katie said her daughter (right with Richard) identifies Richard with his uniform and so she decided to surprise her with a Daddy doll

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk