A sentimental stuffed toy bunny that flew out of a Second World War-era Lancaster bomber over Burlington on Nov. 9 has been recovered.
CAMA Woodlands Long Term Care Home posted their “good news” story on Facebook Monday, saying that a pair of workers from a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) company found the “Lancaster Bunny” on the roof of the care home.
“Today, Rob and Kevin from Moore Environmental Systems was up on the roof of CAMA,” the CAMA Facebook post read. “Rob immediately saw the bunny and said that’s the Lancaster bunny.
“Kevin and Rob took a selfie and then gave Pat (Patti Cervoni, CAMA Administrator) the bunny so she could inform the owner.”
The post goes on to say that Cervoni emailed the picture to owner Victoria Maginnis, who responded and will make a trip to the care home on Saturday.
“Bunny” was in the hands of Maginnis’ father, Jim, in early November as the British Royal Air Force squadron leader took a ride in Second World War-era Lancaster bomber, which departed from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton.
The toy’s history is one built around the 58-year-old pilot, who has taken “Bunny” on a number of adventures over the years, including exotic holidays and some tours of duty.
The 25-year-old heirloom of the Maginnis family has been to Spain, Paris, Rome, Berlin and even Afghanistan in 2009 as Jim’s so-called “co-pilot.”
Bunny’s owner is Jim’s 26-year-old daughter Victoria, who took the toy with her when she moved to Canada for work a couple years ago.
Jim reunited with Bunny in November on an overseas visit to see Victoria in Toronto.
Not long after takeoff, the story turned somewhat tragic when Jim put Bunny down between two guns in the plane’s turret to snap a picture and Bunny flew out of the plane over Burlington.
“It was one of those ‘oh heck’ moments, and that’s putting it mildly,”Jim said.
“I took the photograph, which is the photograph that appeared in the media. I looked on to the camera to check. Everything was OK. I heard a pop and I looked up and no Bunny.”
After a scan of flight data, Jim was able to determine Bunny was in Burlington and near a large area between Aldershot and QEW at Plains Road East.
In the hopes of sparking a movement to find Bunny, Victoria posted a picture of the toy on the Burlington Ontario Lost and Found Facebook page.