Family desperate for help to find toy elephant that had their son's ashes in it
Atkinson's son Gabryel had passed away last year after suffering from a rare chromosome disorder
Liz Atkinson, from Burlington, Iowa, had been travelling around Florida with her son and partner when she lost a toy containing her late son's ashes
A mom has shared a desperate appeal to find a lost stuffed elephant which holds her late son's ashes.
Liz Atkinson, from Burlington, Iowa, had been on a trip with her family to Florida when she posted about the lost elephant on Facebook, in a plea to find the toy.
She said that a small bag of her son Gabryel's ashes were inside a pouch on the back of the soft toy, known as Bruce.
Atkinsons's son Gabryel had suffered from a rare chromosome disorder and was given the elephant while he was in intensive care.
Pictured: Gabryel and his cuddly elephant Bruce, who has gone missing
His mom Liz launched a frantic appeal on Facebook to have the toy returned to him
He passed away in April last year just a few days before his 8th birthday and his family had gone to Disney, in Florida, along with their other son Sebastyn.
Writing on Facebook, Atkinson wrote: 'I feel sick, struggling to sleep. I’m desperate.
'He slept with it every night and since his passing my husband and I have had it in our bed with us.
'It was at every surgery/procedure (over 50) and hospitalization (too many to count) with him.
'If you’ve found Bruce or saw him around any of these locations, please PM me!!! I need him back.'
Atkinson explained how they had been staying at the Beachside Resort in Cocoa Beach, Florida, last month for two days and the elephant had joined them on a parasailing trip.
She said that after that 'the trip gets hazy due to emotions and grief' and wrote that she couldn't remember seeing the elephant after that.
Pictured: Liz Atkinson and her son Gabryel before he passed away
Pictured: Dad Ande Atkinson with Gabryel
The family then went to Disney Springs and stayed at the Palazzo in Kissimmee, Florida, then the Disney's Art of Animation until April 30.
She continued: 'Once we got home [on] May 1 I searched everywhere. Every bag. He’s gone.
I’ve called each of the places listed above and filled out a lost and found form on Disney’s page. No one has found him.
Since sharing her plea she has learned that cameras at the marina in Cocoa Beach show her son carrying the toy into the family's vehicle.
Atkinson is asking people to share her post to spread the word and anyone with information is urged to contact her.
Source: Daily Mail
