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The original was posted on /r/twoxchromosomes by /u/otadak on 2023-09-22 22:12:15.
I’m 29 years-old and I was born in 1994 in NY. My grandpa (who has since passed) purchased Teddy for me the day in the hospital gift shop before I was born. I’m hoping that someone out there can help me find him.
I had a really traumatic childhood and Teddy was the only one who was there for me through everything. I carried Teddy with me everywhere throughout my childhood and I slept with him every night. He was my best friend and I miss him so much.
When I was in 9th grade, my evil (and that’s putting it lightly) stepmother threw him away in the trash while I was at school one day. I was devastated and was told “it’s just a bear, you’re 14, get over it”. The thought of him being tossed into a landfill haunts me to this day. My dad eventually divorced her, but the pain and trauma this woman caused me still lingers (to the point where i was diagnosed with PTSD).
Three years ago, my boyfriend contacted the gift shop at the hospital where I was born and spoke with an employee who was able to look to see what brands they had as suppliers in 1993-1996: GUND, Ganz, and Aurora. These brands have very particular designs of their bears and I was able to narrow it down to GUND. I sent a representative from GUND the picture of me and Teddy and she was able to look in their archives to confirm for me that he is in fact a Karitas Tender Teddy by GUND. She said she did not have any other information she could provide.
Teddy was a very light pink color with black/dark brown eyes that felt like marbles. I remember his nose being hard and not sewn into his face. He has very rounded features, and his stuffing was more stiff-like and he was not floppy. He did not have any patches or threads sewn on him and he did not have a mouth. He did not have a rattle inside. I believe he was between 18-20”. I have scoured Mercari and Ebay and have only found the bear in other colors or smaller sizes.
This link is the closest I’ve found, except I remember him having a hard nose. This bear is the same color and material and overall shape:
I’ve attached a picture of me and him below (I know I look like a boy lol thanks for the haircut, Mom 🙄).
I know it’s a shot in the dark here to ever find him again. He got me through so much during my childhood and I will never give up on him. I appreciate any and all help I can get 💗