Have you ever lost something precious and thought it was gone forever? That’s exactly what happened to little Naomi Pascal when she lost her beloved teddy bear along a trail in Glacier National Park, Montana, back in 2020. But thanks to the power of social media, a helpful park ranger, and a lot of hope, Naomi and her teddy bear are now happily reunited in Jackson, Wyoming.

Naomi had received the teddy bear as her first gift from her parents, Ben and Addie Pascal, before she was adopted from an orphanage in Ethiopia in 2016. The bear became her constant companion on family trips to Ethiopia, Rwanda, Croatia, and Greece. So when Naomi’s dad took her to Montana last year, the bear naturally came along.

Unfortunately, during a hike in the National Park, the bear was accidentally left behind. Naomi and her family didn’t realize it until they returned home that night. They were devastated, especially family friend Terri Hayden, who had been watching the children during the hike.

Terri reported the lost teddy bear to park officials, but with the snowy conditions, it wasn’t possible to return and search for it immediately. It seemed like the bear might be lost forever.

Months later, ranger Tom Mazzarisi came across the bear while doing end-of-season work in the park. He found the bear sitting in the melted snow near the Hidden Lake Trail. Though he didn’t know the bear had been reported lost, he couldn’t bear to throw it away. He decided to keep it in his cabin until he returned to work in April. The bear became a cherished “little mascot” on his patrol truck.

In June, Addie posted a plea on Facebook, hoping to find the lost bear. She shared how the bear had been by Naomi’s side through so many milestones and adventures. The post gained attention and people started sharing the story.

Terri, feeling a strong connection to Naomi’s loss, continued to hope for the bear’s return. When she and some family members visited the park in September, she prayed for a miracle. And that miracle happened. Terri spotted a stuffed bear in a ranger’s locked truck. She took a picture and sent it to Addie, who confirmed that it was indeed Teddy.

Excitedly, Terri shared the news with other park rangers, and they helped her retrieve the bear. Along with Teddy, Terri also received a sweet junior park ranger badge and hat as a token of gratitude. She made arrangements to have the bear shipped back to Naomi, who was overjoyed to be reunited with her beloved companion.

To show appreciation to Ranger Mazzarisi, Terri also bought him a replacement mascot bear. This heartwarming story of loss, hope, and kindness touched the hearts of many and received thousands of likes on the Glacier National Park Facebook page.

Naomi’s father, Ben Pascal, summed up the experience perfectly, saying, “It’s a story of hope and kindness and people just working together. It touched people’s hearts and gave them hope. It made them feel like there is good in the world, which, I believe, there is.”