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TAMPA, Fla. — When a 6-year-old boy left behind his favorite stuffed animal at Tampa International Airport, officials took the toy on a grand adventure.

Owen Lake lost his stuffed tiger, Hobbes, earlier this month on his way to Houston. His mother, Amanda Lake, says she immediately called lost and found but couldn’t retrieve the toy before the family left.

When TIA officials found Hobbes, they took him on a tour of the airport and photographed his travels. Hobbes visited a control tower, a nearby pool and hung out with firefighters among other adventures. Officials put the images into a book they gave Owen when he returned home and was reunited with Hobbes.

Tony D’Aiuto, operations manager at the airport, says he was inspired by the traveling gnome in the film Amelie.

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