Mara Soriano and her fiancé had been moving into a new apartment in Vancouver where a backpack containing a very special bear stolen.
The bear contained a recorded voice from her mother who passed away in 2017. Mara’s mom Marilyn Soriano was diagnosed with cancer about 10 years ago when Mara was 18 years old and the bear was the last memory of Marilyn’s voice because it changed as her cancer progressed.
A couple of notable Canadians took notice, including actor Ryan Reynolds and broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos, who each offered $5,000 as a reward for the bear’s return.