FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. — An anonymous person has come forward and returned the stuffed animal that a 4-year-old boy misplaced in Franklin County on Saturday.
Stitch, the stuffed animal, and Amanda Palazzolo's son were reunited Friday evening.
"He was super excited, hugging and loving it," Palazzolo said.
During Stitch's time away the 4-year-old boy was not worried.
"He's just on a big adventure, mom. He's coming back," Palazzolo's son said to her.
Palazzolo believed there was a slim chance that Stitch would return after he went missing in a public place. When he returned he looked just as they remembered. He had a worn look, much of his hair was missing, his eyes were falling out, and one of his legs had a spot on it.
"When he comes back, he's just gonna need a bath," the boy told his mom before Stitch came home from his adventure.
Now they are installing a GPS tracker for Stitch.
Palazzolo's Facebook post revealed a community of supporters both near and far. She said she received so many messages and people offering to donate or buy her son a new Stitch.
"I'm just very floored," Palazzolo said. "It's just a complete shock to me with how much the public has been so dedicated."
But her son could not house all the Stitches that were being offered.
"Since my son is active at Children's Hospital with his appointments, his surgeries, all the things I'm like well we will just take and donate everything to Children's," Palazzolo said. "And so that's how it came about."
The 4-year-old boy has been diagnosed with a Chiari Formation and Stitch has been a constant friend joining him for doctor visits, two brain surgeries, and everything in between.
Now, people are dropping stuffed animals in the donation box labeled Operation Stitch at Jim Trenary Chevrolet GMC Union car dealership in Union, Missouri, so that patients at Children's Hospital can have a best friend, too.
Buy a child their own Stitch here.
"We are very thankful and appreciative of the public," Palazzolo said.
If you would like to donate a stuffed animal, the donation box will be available until Dec. 20. Palazzolo asks for new stuffed animals.
