Rhylen Tunman is happy to have his beloved stuffed elephant, Ee-ow, back after losing him at the airport. Photo / Alex Burton
Rhylen Tunman is happy to have his beloved stuffed elephant, Ee-ow, back after losing him at the airport. Photo / Alex Burton
Four-year-old Rhylen Tunman thought he would never see his beloved stuffed toy elephant after leaving it at Auckland Airport last month.
His mum Karisah Tunman posted a desperate plea on social media with photos of the treasured toy known affectionately as “Ee-ow”, hoping someone, somewhere, would know its whereabouts.
Thelittle Auckland boy had lost the stuffed companion, which had been at his side since he was 8 months old, at the airport’s domestic terminal when it was left underneath a wheelchair while farewelling a family member.
“He’s very loved, he’s super attached to it and he doesn’t go anywhere without,” Tunman said.
“I thought if I posted on all the social media pages, someone that might work at the airport or someone might come across him.
Many people offered their services to help find him, others offered replacements and some gave parenting advice on how to explain the missing loved toy to Rhylen.
“No one was giving up,” Tunman said, explaining everyone and anyone was getting roped into the search.
“There were aunties, uncles, cousins, sisters, anybody, husbands, wives, anybody that worked at the airport was getting asked.”
After three weeks of no news, the family had just about lost hope, and a replacement was bought. But then on Thursday night, the magic message came.
A woman whose husband worked at the airport had found Ee-ow, who had quite the adventure.
