The crime
In the summer of 2020, Mara was called to help a friend in need when her bag was stolen. It contained a number of valuable items such as her citizenship card, her iPad, and her Nintendo Switch. However, the most painful thing to lose was a little stuffed bear with a recorded message from her mother saying “Part of me will always be with you forever.” This was all Mara had left from her mother who died from cancer and she was heartbroken by the thought of it being stolen.
The power of the internet
After she found out that her bag and teddy were stolen, Mara hung posters and posted tweets about the case. She said that nothing in the bag mattered more to her than the bear. Her tweet included a picture of the beloved stuffed animal and got lots of online attention. It even got the attention of Ryan Reynolds (yes, the very same one from “Deadpool”). The actor retweeted the picture and added that he would grant $5,000 to the person who finds the bag. He said that even if the thief comes up with the bag, he would ask no questions on the account of the person doing the right thing.
A heartfelt reunion
The power of the internet (and of Ryan Reynolds’ Twitter account) was proven useful. Several days after Reynolds’ retweet, two people reached out to Mara and returned her bag. According to them, they had knowledge of who had taken the bag and talked them into giving it back to its rightful owner. Mara was grateful for the bear, and we are grateful for Ryan Reynolds and this touching story.