Holiday For Hobbes

A lost stuffed toy named “Hobbes” was photographed on a behind-the-scenes tour to Tampa International Airport before handed back to the owner.

17:15 18 June 2015

A stuffed tiger, who was accidentally left behind by the owner, a six-year-old boy, went on an adventure at Tampa’s International Airport. The toy was found after the mother of the boy called staff at the airport at the weekend. It emerged that the toy was left behind before the family boarded a flight to Houston. 

 

Once Hobbes was located, Tony D’Auito, the airport’s operation centre manager, decided to give Hobbes a tour around the airport. 

 

"I pitched this idea a couple of months ago after I saw a similar idea where someone took a stuffed lion around a museum," Mr D'Auito was quoted as saying in a blog post on the airport's website.

 

"This seemed like the perfect opportunity."

 

As part of the tour, Hobbes was photographed outside the air traffic control tower, hanging out with firefighters, assisting baggage handlers, and browsing cafeteria’s gelato selection. The pictures were posted on the airport’s Facebook page. 

 

Learning about Hobbes adventure, the boy’s mother Amanda Lake said: "It was very, very sweet," 

 

"We already told him over and over that Hobbes was on an adventure so it was nice to get back and show him that Hobbes really had been on an adventure."

 

She thanked everyone at the airport who "took such great care of Hobbes".

 

"It was such a nice surprise," she said.