Mara Soriano has spent the last four days checking the alleys and dumpsters of VancouverB次元官网网址檚 West End, putting up posters and answering multitudes of emails and tweets, hoping sheB次元官网网址檇 find a stolen teddy bear that carries her late motherB次元官网网址檚 voice.

And on Tuesday night, the Vancouver resident was successful.

Sitting in her apartment, surrounded by half-unpacked boxes, a smiling Soriano cuddled the brown bear returned hours earlier by two Good Samaritans, still wearing its red-and-white dress and white jacket.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not gonna lie I kind of buckled. As soon as I saw (him) pull her out of the bag my knees just buckled,B次元官网网址� she said in a Skype interview.

B次元官网网址淚 just started sobbing and I grabbed her out of his hands and I couldnB次元官网网址檛 let her go.B次元官网网址�

The bear was stolen Friday while Soriano was moving to a new apartment, and her social media plea for help went viral. Celebrities such as Ryan Reynolds and George Stroumboulopoulos each promised $5,000 rewards for its return.

Marilyn Soriano was diagnosed with cancer about 10 years ago when Mara was 18 years old.

Her mom gave her the bear in December 2017 and it included a voice recording made by Marilyn reminding Mara of the love between mother and daughter.

It was also a last memory of MarilynB次元官网网址檚 voice because it changed as her cancer progressed.

B次元官网网址淚t was much softer. The cancer had really eaten away at her and that bear was basically the last reminder of the mom that I knew - it was her voice that I remembered growing up,B次元官网网址� she said in an earlier interview.

After a year-and-a-half of treatment, SorianoB次元官网网址檚 mom died last June.

Her mom had put the toy together at Build-A-Bear adding glasses and a jacket like the ones she used to wear, Soriano said.

The glasses werenB次元官网网址檛 returned but she said sheB次元官网网址檚 not worried and will ask Build-A-Bear for a similar pair.

B次元官网网址淚t feels so surreal like I canB次元官网网址檛 believe, I canB次元官网网址檛 believe it, I canB次元官网网址檛 - like Mama BearB次元官网网址檚 home.B次元官网网址�

Soriano said she got an email around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night from someone who said they had the bear and wanted to return it to her.

She was skeptical, she said, because the man did not have many details, so she set up a B次元官网网址渟afe meeting spaceB次元官网网址� with a member of the media present.

B次元官网网址淲e just waited and lo and behold, the two kind Samaritans came, and they gave Mama Bear back.B次元官网网址�

The bear was kept in a bag and the Good Samaritans told her it hadnB次元官网网址檛 been handled, she said.

She described the bear as being in perfect condition and smelling and feeling great.

B次元官网网址淣ot a single scratch, not a single thread is off.B次元官网网址�

There was a little bit of bicycle grease on the bearB次元官网网址檚 jacket but B次元官网网址渘othing a little laundry canB次元官网网址檛 fix,B次元官网网址� she said.

The Good Samaritans told Soriano they saw security footage she had posted online, recognized the person seen taking the backpack containing the bear and got it back from him, she said.

Mama Bear was lost last week as Soriano was moving to a new apartment and was interrupted by a call from a friend who had been hit by a car while on his way to help her. She rushed to his side but, amidst the B次元官网网址減anic and frazzled stateB次元官网网址� forgot her backpack.

The friend is okay.

And while the bear is now back, Soriano lost an iPad with photos and video of her mother that hadnB次元官网网址檛 been backed up.

B次元官网网址淚 just wanted the bear. The bear is whatB次元官网网址檚 the most important part. She made it herself.B次元官网网址�

Soriano said her mother would have been B次元官网网址渟uper happyB次元官网网址� to hear of the great outcome but would also have reminded her to have faith.

B次元官网网址淚 feel like she would have said B次元官网网址業 told you soB次元官网网址�.B次元官网网址�

When she gets married next summer, Soriano said the bear will have a special seat where her mom would have been.

But for the next few days, she said sheB次元官网网址檚 going to carry Mama Bear around.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard to let it go. IB次元官网网址檓 going to sleep with her tonight. IB次元官网网址檓 going to show her the new apartment, itB次元官网网址檚 just been the wildest three hours,B次元官网网址� she said with a laugh. B次元官网网址淚t literally just happened, and I still canB次元官网网址檛 believe it.B次元官网网址�

Hina Alam, The Canadian Press

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