For some, Winnie the Pooh is a fond childhood character, and for others, he is reminiscent of a certain Asian head of state.
But for one 18-month-old boy, a Winnie the Pooh mascot was a source of comfort, as seen in a video filmed by mom Jessie Barber and posted on Facebook on Nov. 13. Barber was with her family at the restaurant Crystal Palace in the Walt Disney World Resort during the heartwarming encounter.
The video shows Pooh stroking the boy’s head and “kissing” his hand, while the child appeared relaxed as he received affection. It has been viewed over 35 million times as of this writing.
Barber expressed her gratitude to the person behind the costume in the post’s caption: “For those of you who have disabled children know the feel when people look but aren’t sure how to interact with your kiddo. This Winnie the Pooh melted my heart and knew exactly what to do! He spent 10+ minutes with our little guy and he loved every second of it. Thank you, Pooh.”
Barber, who lives in Kentucky with wife Allison, went on a week-long trip to Orlando with three of their adopted children and their 18-month-old son, who has the neurological disorder cerebral palsy, Yahoo reported on Nov. 16.
Barber said that their son was thrilled with meeting characters in Disney World even if he normally doesn’t enjoy crowded places like theme parks.
Because of his condition, which is due to a brain injury at birth, the child functions like a 6-month-old infant who communicates with smiles and facial expressions. This is why Pooh’s snuggles and gentle strokes were calming to him.
Besides the video, Barber commended the mascot to guest services to make sure the person received recognition. She also said that they spotted Pooh the next day at another restaurant. Her son lit up with a smile when he saw him. Niña V. Guno /ra
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