So when the family decided to take a trip to Florida — a trip they were unable to take while Gabryel was alive — there was no question that Bruce the stuffed animal would come along.
At the last minute, Atkinson decided to put some of Gabryel’s ashes in the back of the stuffed animal. "The intention of bringing Bruce wasn’t necessarily to bring him everywhere with us," she said. During the trip, the family had planned to go parasailing, and son Sebastyan asked if Bruce could come along. Security footage reviewed since that day showed that Bruce did make it onto the boat on April 24 — and then back to the car after the parasailing activity, Atkinson said.After that, the family headed to Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida, where Atkinson believes Bruce was lost.
"Before I leave a place, even just sitting, I look around me to make sure nothing’s missing," she said.