- All right y'all, welcome back.
I'm here with Kate Hudson, Oliver Hudson,
and Alisha Wainwright.
Give it up.
This next story crisscrosses
the globe from Africa to Montana,
which is random enough in itself.
And it all starts with a missing teddy bear.
So in October, 2020, a little girl lost her beloved bear
on a hiking trip, Glacier National Park
Amazingly enough it was recovered nearly a year later,
which never happens.
As a mom who has had a kid who's lost something.
But what makes this story truly special is how it was found
and the lives that touched along the way here
to tell it are the little girls' parents
Ben and Annie, give it up for Ben and Annie y'all.
(crowd cheering)
- So meet Kate, meet Oliver, meet Alisha.
- Hi! - Hi.
- Hey guys.
- Everybody goes to wave
we have a lot of people on the couch today.
So before we get to the teddy bear
tell us about your daughter.
- Yeah, our daughter, Naomi.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
- She is seven years old.
- [Kelly] So is mine.
- Oh yeah, awesome.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
- She is a ball of energy.
- [Kelly] So is mine.
- She is sweet.
She is a little bit sassy.
- Just a little bit. - Yeah.
And she
- [Kelly] Bold.
- Yeah, she is so kind as well.
And she loves, she loves the outdoors.
She loves to ski.
We live in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
- [Kelly] Oh, wow.
- And I'm the local Presbyterian pastor there
and Annie is a nurse.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
- And we, when we were in,
thank you, (crowd cheering)
and when we were in college
we both had experiences living overseas
in developing countries.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
- And I think God planted a seed in both
of our hearts to want to adopt a child from another country.
- Like a long time ago, right?
- Yeah, a long time ago.
- Yeah.
- And we just saw global poverty kind of first hand
and just, yeah, there was something that just tugged
at our hearts to wanna maybe be a part
of helping somebody else. - Yeah.
- And so we ended
up adopting our daughter Naomi from Ethiopia.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
- And yeah.
- [Kelly] That wasn't an easy process though, right, I hear?
- No, definitely not.
So we received a referral for her when she was just
two months old and then the process just took a lot longer
than we thought it was going to.
So, you know, three months turned into six months, turned
into nine months and on over a year we started to.
- [Ben] We didn't think it would ever happen.
- [Kelly] Look at her eyes, oh my God.
- Yeah, we started to wonder
if we were ever gonna be able to bring her home.
And so, you know, we had a chance to just send
over a little something for her.
So I sent over this little tiny bear.
He's a nice travel size.
And you know, when we got pictures of her holding that bear
it was like this moment of connection for us, like, okay
we're, she has something that we've given her.
Like, and then incredibly.
- She knows someone loves her.
- Yeah, and so incredibly enough, you know,
it wasn't long after that we were able to
actually travel to Ethiopia and go and adopt her.
So we spent three weeks over there just getting to
know one another and finally able to bring her home.
- [Ben] Mhm.
- [Annie] Yeah, there she is.
- [Kelly] So cute.
- [Annie] Yeah.
- [Kelly] Look at her face.
- So that bear has been all over the world.
- Yeah.
- She, it's always with her, it goes camping.
It goes on planes.
It goes everywhere.
- So how did it go missing y'all were hiking?
Is that what happened?
- Yeah, so a few Octobers ago we, the kids and I, went up.
Annie had to work that weekend, the kids
and I went up to Bigfork, Montana, to visit some
dear friends, Paul and Terry Hayden.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
- Paul was a mentor of mine.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
- And so we went up there just for the weekend
and we went on a hike up in Glacier National Park.
And then we went on another hike after that.
And we were driving back from our hikes that day.
It was kind of getting late in the afternoon
and I was driving and Naomi was sitting behind me
and all of a sudden she's she just goes
"Teddy!
Where's Teddy?"
- That is a dreaded moment as a parent.
- Oh my gosh, like where?
Yeah, where is Teddy?
And so we stopped.
We pulled over, we looked through the car.
Teddy was nowhere to be found in the car.
And, and we were like, where?
I don't even know if she had Teddy today.
And we're like, did she take Teddy on the hike?
And so we took out the phone and I looked
at some pictures from earlier in the day on the hike.
And sure enough, there was Teddy
on the hike with Naomi and we're like, oh no.
And it was getting dark.
And then that weekend it snowed for like the winter.
So the park shut down, we called the Ranger station
and we called lost and found, nothing.
We figured we're not gonna find this bear.
Definitely not gonna find this bear this weekend.
Maybe in the summer.
- Yeah, so summer came around.
- That's dreaming big.
- [Ben] Yeah, like, like me.
- It's a, Wyoming and Montana,
like they're brutal winters. - Right.
- Like it's, you know?
Yeah, yeah.
- So much terrain too.
- Yeah, that's a, you are a dreamer.
I'm like, I would've been like, baby, it's gone.
I dunno.
I'm so sorry.
But I know that this was such a meaningful thing too though.
'Cause it's like, you know, you sent it
to her like when she was baby, - Yeah.
- not even met yet. - Yeah.
- So it's like more than just a normal like toy for a kid.
So, or stuffy.
That's what my kids call 'em. - Yeah.
So did y'all, did y'all ever have
like stuffies or blankies or anything
like when you were a kid you had to have
with you all the time?
- No I think I had my bottle till I was like 10.
(laughing)
And I didn't know that until I saw some paparazzi picture me
and mom in a London airport.
And I was like, mom, I'm like,
have a bottle in my and I'm six.
And
- And she was like, it kept you quiet on the plane.
- Yeah.
- You were fine.
She was like you wanted your bobby.
- My daughter has a lovey.
- Okay.
- Like, and it's horrible because she doesn't wanna wash it.
- [Alisha] Oh.
- And it stinks.
- [Alisha] Oh it's terrible.
- And I'm like, oh my God, Rio, you have to watch it.
- I actually judge Oliver's parenting by this lovey.
- You know, that was my
- She's almost nine.
I'm like Rio, babe.
Like you gotta get,
she's got like Jordan's on she's, fashion is all great.
And then she's like (imitating child) with this like lovey
- You wash it while they're asleep.
You take it, they're asleep, they don't know,
you wash it while they're asleep, then you slide it back in.
- [Alisha] They can tell.
- Oh well then she smells it she goes,
It's already too late. "Are you parenting right now?
- [Kelly] It's done. - Right.
- [Kelly] It's done.
So Terry and our audience was committed to
help find the missing bear.
So Terry, you say that you felt responsible, why?
- Teddy was lost on my watch on that day of the hike Ben
and my husband Paul went on and I kind of stayed back
with the kids and Teddy went missing on my watch.
- [Kelly] Oh my God.
- Yeah, so I did, I felt horrible
especially after I found out the significance of that bear.
As we were driving out of the park, my heart sank.
And at that point in time
I was bound and determined to find that bear.
- So you went back to the park to look for the bear.
Did you end up finding it then?
- We went, my family came into town,
so about a year later, we headed out to the park.
Before we went to the park that morning
I'm in the bedroom by myself.
And I just said, "Okay, Lord, if this bears to
be found today, please place him in my hands."
- Okay.
So you have aligned straight to God.
So all my prayer requests will go to you ma'am.
(laughing)
So you are now a part of my prayer chain, Liz.
- Can I say one thing?
- [Ben] Yeah.
- You guys, you need to do a children's book.
I think it's a great idea.
- Okay, wait.
So for the book, I have to know Terry,
how did you actually end up finding it?
- Well, we were in the park that day
and on the way up to Glacier
I kind of had to fill my family in on this lost bear story.
- Yeah.
- And we headed out to a trail head
and as we we're approaching the trail head
we noticed a park ranger truck.
And my niece spotted a bear sitting on the dashboard
of this ranger truck.
I quickly took out my phone. - Oh my god, I love.
I love that a grown man is - Texted a picture
- of Teddy to Annie saying, "I need confirmation now.'
She came right back and said "That's Teddy."
- Yeah.
- So we beeline
- Can we talk about a grown man, just driving around
with his truck with a teddy bear for a second?
This, I love this.
This is my favorite part.
I love this.
- So we beelined it to find some rangers.
I come running up to rangers, looking a little
deranged saying "There's a bear."
And you don't say that in Glacier National Park
(laughing)
to rangers.
And I had to clarify and say, "No, it's a stuffed bear.
And he's on the dashboard of the ranger truck."
And the four rangers said, "Oh, you mean Caesar?
He's been our park mascot for the last year."
- Oh my.
And I said, "No, his, his name is Teddy."
- You have to give him back.
(laughing)
- Well, the four,
those four rangers helped put that bear back in
my hands at the end of that day.
And I had him
(audience clapping)
- [Kelly] She must've been freaking out.
See, it's a great story.
So wait, so what about the park ranger?
So who found him?
And did you ever meet him?
- Ranger Tom.
- [Kelly] Okay.
- He is a great guy.
We have a lot of things in common.
- [Alisha] Tall.
- Yeah. - I love Ranger Tom.
- He used to live in Jackson Hole.
He also is the bear guy in Glacier National Park.
So I just love that like, the guy who like is in charge
of managing the bears and Glacier found the teddy bear.
- [Kelly] Absolutely.
- And Teddy went on all these adventures
with him this last summer
and he also has a safari business in Africa.
And so he has that connection
- Wow.
- with Africa as well, yeah.
- Wow, okay.
Did you ever meet him?
Did y'all ever get to meet him?
- On Zoom.
- No, never, - Oh on Zoom.
- we haven't met him in person.
- Okay, that's how everybody met each other
the last two years.
- Right. - Right.
(laughing)
- So sad.
So you don't have to wait though
because Ranger Tom is actually here.
- Oh come on.
- [Kelly] So come on Ranger Tom!
Ranger Tom!
(audience cheering)
My God, I love that you were driving around with a bear.
(audience cheering)
- Nice to meet you!
- So how did you find him?
- It was kind of an end-of-season hike.
As the park was shutting down.
It started to snow so just started heading
up this trail, the Hidden Lake trail.
And on the way up, I just saw this teddy bear
just kind of outta place, lying off the trail.
It was kinda half covered in snow.
And I was like, that's weird.
But it was so worn.
It looked like it just had been out there forever.
So I grabbed it and dusted him off and I was like, huh
there is something special about this bear that,
(audience awing)
so yeah.
So I, he, I carried him down the trail
and he ended up riding shotgun with me, literally.
- [Kelly] I love it.
- [Tom] And on the dashboard of my patrol car.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
- He definitely kind of commanded,
he had a command presence.
So that's why I kind of named him Caesar.
- [Kelly] You named him Caesar?
- Yeah, he kinda had that, you know, all hail Caesar.
- I like it.
Yeah.
It didn't end well for him, but that's okay.
Yeah, yeah.
- No, if we, no, there's just something about him
that was kind of special.
And I love bears too.
So there's always this
- I know they said that you're the guy, the bear guy
in the park.
So I love that you found the teddy bear.
(audience awing)
I mean, bears are adorable.
I mean, unless you're like,
- [Alisha] Unless you're on a hike.
- yeah, unless you're on a trail
and you're like, wait.
- [Alisha] I was on a bike once in the Canadian
Rockies all by myself.
Well, there was, with a friend, and a mama and her
cub literally like right where you are.
Right in front.
And it was like,
I'm gonna die.
This is it.
That's what, this is where this happens.
- That's why I studied plants.
- Yeah.
(crowd laughing)
- But he reminded you of something, right?
The teddy bear?
- Yeah, so I had this teddy bear growing up.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
What are the chances?
- It's actually this little guy right here.
- That's your teddy bear?
- Yes.
Yeah, so I was given this when I was four.
- I adore you.
- Thanks.
- [Kelly] Is that yours?
- [Oliver] What is going on?
- Yeah, so yeah, I was given this
when I was four years old and yeah.
So, and I, as you can see, you know
there's a striking resemblance to Teddy.
- So cute.
- I know.
So there probably was a little bit something
subconscious going on.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
There was like, you know, a little extra special.
- So cute.
- Yeah.
And yeah.
And I love bears.
- [Kelly] Yeah.
- And yeah.
- So, well, we've been talking about Naomi
and her Teddy this whole time.
So I think it's time to meet them both.
So come on out Naomi.
(audience cheering)
Oh, you look so beautiful!
Look how cute you look!
Can I hug you?
Can I give you a hug?
Oh!
You look so beautiful!
(crowd cheering)
Look how cute you are!
- Hi.
- First of all, I'd like to, do they make your outfit
in a bigger size 'cause that's really cute.
Well, hello.
And I love your Teddy.
I'm so glad, you, it's a miracle
that you got that Teddy back.
- Yeah.
- Your parents, everybody around you.
Anytime you have prayer requests, send them via them
because that is a miracle that you're holding that bear.
Did you wanna say anything?
- Thank you for taking care of my Teddy.
- You're welcome. (audience awing)
- Oh my gosh, you are precious.
So wait, you have something for Naomi, right?
- I do.
I took very good care of Teddy and he took really
good care of me.
Thank you for letting me hang out with him for a year.
But, got a couple things for you.
This is from Glacier Park.
This is a Junior Ranger hat
that we give all our Junior Rangers.
And you see, you already got your Junior Ranger badge there.
And there's a passport book.
And then I have one more thing I'd like to give you.
This was my teddy bear when I was little.
(audience awing)
Okay, you know, so it kind of looks a little bit
like your teddy, but I want to give this to you
so Teddy has a friend
(audience awing)
as you get older.
Would you like that?
(crowd cheering)
Can I get a hug?
- Oh my gosh.
I think,
(audience cheering)
I mean, if you don't have
a name for the new teddy, Caesar's available now.
So if you wanted to use that, oh my gosh.
I love this story.
Glacier National Park Conservancy sponsors projects
in the park, including Junior Ranger field trips.
My kids would freak out over, but we reached
out to Travelodge by Wyndham, a longtime partner
of the National Parks Conservation Association.
And they're known for their budget friendly hotels
near some of our nation's best parks.
Everybody gets to see 'em.
That's why they're gonna donate $15,000
to the Glacier National Park Conservancy.
(audience cheering)
Teddy did a lot today.
Teddy made a lot happen today y'all.