A little girl was reunited with a teddy bear which contained a recording of her late sister’s voice thanks to the power of social media.
Brooke Latimer wouldn’t go to sleep without her precious bear after losing it last weekend while on a day out with her family at Jesmond Dene in Newcastle.
The one-year-old was left the teddy by her big sister Lia Saunders, who passed away in September 2016 after battling acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Lia, 10, recorded the voice message ‘love you little one’ at Build-a-Bear in Newcastle before placing it inside the teddy with a heart for Brooke.
Little Brooke Latimer, one, wouldn’t go to sleep without her precious bear after losing it last weekend while on a day out with her family at Jesmond Dene in Newcastle
The one-year-old was left the teddy by her big sister Lia Saunders (pictured), who passed away in September 2016 after battling acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Her mother Becky, 24, posted on social media in a desperate attempt to get it back and the post was shared more than 5,500 times
To her amazement, she was contacted by a stranger, from Kenton, Newcastle, who had took the bear home and washed it after finding it placed on top of a parking ticket machine
Sadly, she did not live long enough to meet her half-sister Brooke, who was born three months later in December that year, and give her the teddy.
Becky Wustrack, who is mother to Brooke and step-mother to Lia, Kyla, seven, and Khloe, four, said the family were in hysterics when they realised the bear – which Brooke calls ‘Lia Bear’ – had disappeared.
The girls’ dad Dean, 28, a mechanic, headed back out to retrace their steps in the hope of finding the much loved bear.
Meanwhile Becky, 24, posted on social media in a desperate attempt to get it back and the post was shared more than 5,500 times.
To her amazement, she was contacted by a stranger, from Kenton, Newcastle, who had took the bear home and washed it after finding it placed on top of a parking ticket machine.
Dean raced over to their house that night to collect the bear, bring it home and reunite it with Brooke.
Becky Wustrack, who is mother to Brooke and step-mother to Lia, Kyla, seven, and Khloe, four, said the family were in hysterics when they realised the bear – which Brooke calls ‘Lia Bear’ – had disappeared
Lia, 10, recorded the voice message ‘love you little one’ at Build-a-Bear in Newcastle before placing it inside the teddy with a heart for Brooke
Lia, who became friends with Bradley Lowery while in hospital, was diagnosed with blood cancer a few weeks after her mum. She went into remission but the cancer returned the following year, in 2016, and the family were told it was terminal
Becky, a full-time mother mother, who lives with Dean and the girls in Elswick, Newcastle, said: ‘The bear was Brooke’s comfort and she wouldn’t go anywhere without it. She literally won’t let go, it is like her best friend.
‘When we realised it was missing we were both hysterical, we both sat and cried. Brooke was screaming in her cot.
‘I wouldn’t have cared if it was just a normal bear, but this was too special.
‘I was so desperate I would have literally done anything to get it back.
‘I posted about it on Facebook and offered a reward. I didn’t expect it to go as well as it did. I had about 300 friend requests and messages.’
Becky was thrilled when she received a message seven hours later from a woman who told her that her male neighbour had found the bear.
When Brooke was reunited with the bear later that night she finally went to sleep.
When Brooke was reunited with the bear later that night she finally went to sleep
Becky said: ‘Someone had found it and put it on a parking ticket machine.
‘Dean came through the door and we were waiting on the stairs for him.
‘As soon as she seen the bear she gave it a big kiss. It was a relief.
It may look like a bear to other people but this has a part of our Lia in it, a memory we can never get back.
‘It heals our hearts slightly and we can’t wait for the day when we get to actually explain to Brooke just how precious her bear is.’
Becky said she was overwhelmed with the response on Facebook.
She said: ‘It was so nice to see that people shared and they would wish so much luck for a stranger they have never met.
‘If it wasn’t for people sharing my post I don’t think we would have got it back.’
Becky is mother to Brooke and step-mother to Lia, Kyla and Khloe, who lost their mother Jeanne Saunders, 26, to lung cancer in November 2015
Lia, Kyla and Khloe lost their mother Jeanne Saunders, 26, to lung cancer in November 2015.
Lia, who became friends with Bradley Lowery while in hospital, was diagnosed with blood cancer a few weeks after her mum.
She went into remission but the cancer returned the following year, in 2016, and the family was told it was terminal.
Dean and his new partner Becky told Lia they were expecting a baby while she was terminally ill in hospital.
Becky said: ‘She was over the moon, she was telling all of the nurses and rubbing my belly while talking to her.’
Lia was buried with a bear called ‘Minnie’ which contained a recording of Brooke’s heartbeat from the scan.