Woman appeals for help to find beloved decade-old soft toy that fell off railing at Marina Bay

To Au, this is more than just a soft toy.

Ashley Tan | January 13, 2020, 03:30 PM

We all have a particular pillow, blanket or soft toy we're extremely and sometimes, irrationally, attached to.

Some of these items are so treasured because of the memories they hold.

A woman in Singapore recently sought the Internet's help to search for her missing plushie, which disappeared in the Marina Bay area.

Finding Neno

One Esther Evangeline Au recently shared a heartfelt plea asking fellow Singaporeans to keep an eye out for her beloved soft toy, Neno.

Au, who told Mothership that she brings the cat plushie everywhere she goes, had been photographing it atop the Benjamin Sheares Bridge.

Here are some photos of Neno moments before it went missing.

Photo from Esther Evangeline Au / FB

Photo from Esther Evangeline Au / FB

Wanting to capture Neno against the scenic backdrop of the Marina Bay waterfront and the Singapore Flyer, Au placed Neno on the railing.

Unfortunately, the wind blew Neno off the railing and into a large Banyan tree below.

This is the tree, located near PAssion WaVe @ Marina Bay, which Au suspected Neno might have landed from the fall.

Photo from Esther Evangeline Au / FB

Au also shared the fateful moment when Neno toppled over in her panorama shot.

Photo from Esther Evangeline Au / FB

According to her post, Au went down to the Banyan tree to look for Neno, but "all attempts to find him were unsuccessful".

She believed that someone else might have taken Neno or it could still be stuck in the tree.

Au told Mothership that she had contacted the National Parks Board and Gardens By The Bay and was awaiting a response.

Soft toy a "constant companion" since 2010

While some might think that Au could have saved the hassle and bought a new plushie, Au shared the sentimental value the soft toy held.

She revealed that she had kept Neno since 2010.

Au had first spotted a bigger version of the plushie, which belonged to a friend, and what drew her to this particular soft toy was its face.

"Its blank stare face grew on me," she described.

She then proceeded to buy the tinier version, which she then named Neno.

Photo from Esther Evangeline Au / FB

Neno and Au were "inseparable"—Au brings Neno everywhere she goes, including work, the gym, and even overseas.

Au said Neno would always be with her in photos. If not, solo shots of Neno were an indication that Au had visited the place too.

Neno used to have another "friend", similarly named Nino but Au lost the latter eight or nine years ago, which led her to "treasure" and "be much more careful with" Neno.

Au elaborated on how much Neno means to her, describing it as a "constant companion who was always there".

"When i needed courage, he encouraged me. When i was sad, he would comfort me. When i was happy, he would be there with his adorable confused look sharing the joy. His one face would represent different expressions in the different situations."

Not only did Neno provide Au with some form of emotional support, but she also added how he was a conversation starter wherever she brought him.

"He became very much a part of who I am," Au said.

Anyone who has found Neno can contact Au via her contact in the post below.

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Top photo from Esther Evangeline Au / FB