It could happen to anyone: rushing to leave a hotel room and leaving behind a valuable item in the midst of travel chaos.
Fifteen-year-old Natalia from Chino Hills did just that. She left behind her favorite stuffed animal named Strawberry while she was traveling in Guatemala last month.
“I was very sad,” said the teenager, who only wished to be identified by her first name. “We were rushing to leave the hotel room because our flight was canceled, and we had to figure out how to get to our next destination.”
On the last day of her stay at the Westin Camino Real, she left behind the stuffed cow, which was gifted by her close friend. It was crocheted with a lot of love and care for Natalia.
But just when Natalia thought Strawberry was lost forever, hotel workers decided to have fun with the toy – and giving Strawberry a vacation of its own – before uniting it with its owner.
The West Camino Real made a video of Strawberry, spending time at the gym, getting a message, sunbathing by the pool and sleeping in its own room.
The hotel crews held onto Strawberry until Natalia’s relatives in Guatemala were able to drive to the hotel and pick it up on behalf of Natalia.
Natalia’s mom took to social media to thank the hotel employees for going above and beyond.
“Thank you @westincaminoreal for making our experience one of a kind. You made our trip extra special by helping us in getting my daughters little cow back. The little cow traveled thousands of miles from California to Guatemala, and we thought she was lost for good, but the staff helped locate her and she had the time of her life away from her mom. Thank your reuniting our little cow with her mom.”
Do you have a Bright Spot like this? Share your Bright Spot with us!
Today in LA’s Lynette Romero wants to hear from you! You can message her on Facebook and Instagram. You can also email her at lynette.romero@nbcuni.com. We’ll share your story on Today in LA and our website to further spread your bright spot!