Latest news with #PaddingtonBear
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Right royal challenge
You could call it a one-in-a-million challenge. Yesterday afternoon, New Zealand time, Queenstown's Carlos Bagrie, who owns Royalburn Station with his wife Nadia Lim, started the first of five six-hour shifts on an indoor rowing machine in London's Paddington Station. Part of a team of 12 participating in the 'Thanks a Million Challenge', he hopes to help break a Guinness World Record, and raise £169,000 ($NZ380,841) to run an exercise programme for kids undergoing cancer treatment at Southampton Children's Hospital (SCH) for the next three years. The brainchild of long-time mate Gihan Ganesh, an anaesthetist at SCH, the challenge involves two teams of six, working in shifts. Each rower will spend 60 seconds on the erg every five minutes during their shift, rinse — possibly sleep — and repeat. To break the record, the combined team needs to row a million metres in 61 hours, 58 minutes and 41 seconds. As Bagrie, 39, puts it, "we need to be flying, really". "It's one thing to go on those erg machines and row for a minute quick, most people can do that. "It's to repeat it over and over and over again, and then combine it with the exhaustion that we're undoubtedly going to face. "The thing that is really stressing me out is the fatigue — realistically, can we sleep?" But there's no doubt they'll find untold motivation thinking about the little girl who's inspired the challenge, Ganesh's daughter, Lola, 4. Two weeks after Ganesh's family moved to London from Perth, when Lola was a year old, she was diagnosed at SCH's Piam Brown ward with a rare, advanced and complex pelvic tumour, which had metastasized. Ganesh says it was "pure fate" Lola was diagnosed in a hospital where she had access to the best care she could have received. Despite some bleak possible outcomes, after 169 days of active treatment — Bagrie got a front-row seat for some of them — Lola is now "amazing". Wanting to positively contribute to the Piam Brown ward team's future work, Ganesh launched the fundraiser to support a new collab between it and Momentum in Fitness Charity, to deliver targeted exercise therapy for all paediatric oncology patients. "They get really deconditioned, lose all their muscle mass, so it's a preventive/rehabilitative intervention," Ganesh says. "All the stuff through a kid's cancer journey is really negative, it's pretty miserable ... This is maybe one thing we can do which is treatment, but is positive." He picked indoor rowing because it was the only exercise he could manage during her treatment, and given the mental and physical strength required, he figured it's a "fitting micro-representation of what my daughter had to go through". And he chose Paddington Station — "probably the most public place you can think of, actually" — because 250,000-odd people pass through each day, and almost every day of Lola's treatment, they watched Paddington Bear. Bagrie, who's been training since October, says he's lost about 5kg, and "hopefully gained a few muscles" in preparation. "You know, I'm in the beer industry, so I wouldn't say I have an elite sportsperson's physique," he laughs. "[But] the way I see it, is this is an incredible opportunity to raise awareness and funds for a charity that provides a huge amount of benefit to the wider community when it comes to a child's care and helping families through what's a pretty arduous time. "Just seeing what these kids go through and how hard it is on the families, it really does give you motivation to push on through."
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
The internet swoons over the UK's 'wholesome' new Japan Ambassador for his enthusiastic love of Britain, joyful videos and fascination with Paddington Bear
Brits are rallying for the Japanese Ambassador to the UK - who has won over people's hearts with his enthusiasm for the Four Nations - to be Prime Minister after swooning over the diplomat's adorable posts celebrating traditions across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Hiroshi Suzuki, who has been dubbed 'the Paddington Bear of Ambassadors' has shared snaps of him tucking into haggis, chugging Irn Bru, singing in Welsh and drinking pints on social media. And after sharing a wrap of his first four months in the job in March, adoration for the Kyoto-born politician, 63, soared. Commenters were in awe of Hiroshi's excitement for his duties and his delight at British traditions - with many dubbing him a much better representative for the general public than 10 Downing Street. 'Why is the Japanese ambassador a far better promoter of the UK than any of our snivelling politicians?' one penned. 'None of ours can even convincingly hold a pint like they know what to do with it.' 'Can we make you our PM?' another added. A third gushed: 'Countries will spend billions to build international relations when it turns out all you needed to do was send one man who openly respects the culture. Arigatou Gozaimasu.' 'No mater who the government is in the future, we should all agree that he stays the ambassador,' another found. Hiroshi, who has more than 125,600 followers on X has truly immersed himself in the culture. Snaps have seen him at a traditional pub, enjoying roast dinners, sporting a very dapper top hat at a Buckingham Palace garden party, and walking in bluebells. In October, he shared an excited video of himself holding both the Japanese flag and the Union Jack eagerly titled 'London, here I come!!' 'Hello, I'm Hiroshi Suzuki, the next Japanese Ambassador to the UK,' he said. 'I am returning to London after 12 years - I'm very much looking forward to working with my friends to strengthen the UK-Japan partnership to a higher dimension.' And in just under half a year, it seems Hiroshi already has - by throwing himself head first into all things British. Just a few weeks into his new role, the diplomat beamed as he popped on a Japanese rugby shirt on to cheer on a game his country's team was playing against England 'at Twickers'. A few weeks later, he donned a red jumper and relished in a pint, toasting viewers a 'Happy New Year!' It would seem the Ambassador is quite the fan of British taverns, more than once stating in posts that he (and Paddington Bear) are 'enjoying pub'. Hiroshi has a special fondness for the fictional British-Peruvian bear after being compared to the beloved character himself. Getting a plush teddy, the politician has shared selfies taking the stuffed animal on journeys across different landmarks, including the London Eye. In his trademark fashion, he has also made UK officials pose with toys, including Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Gareth Thomas and Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. While Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle did not picture with a bear, he gifted Hiroshi his own teddy wearing the Speaker's robe. His wife, Eiko, has also taken the beloved toy to Osaka in Japan to experience the opening of Expo 2025, an exhibition of global designs dedicated to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Adorned with a pin of the Japanese and English flags, Paddington was seen swapping the marmalade sandwiches for spicy noodles at Shin Osaka Station, before hopping on the bullet train. Paddington also met the Expo mascot after visiting a famous Kimono shop in Gion - his wife said the owners were 'overjoyed' to welcome him. He also tried a Bento box, an Ekiben (a lunch box) and visited a Zen garden in Kyoto and posed with a statue of Totoro, from the Studio Ghibli movie. On January 9, Hiroshi wrote that he '<3' Welsh cakes as he enjoyed a breakfast in Cardiff. That same month, he wowed Brits by singing the country's national anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, in its native tongue - and was heavily praised for his efforts. The Ambassador explained the inspiration came from a visit from the Welsh national team to Japan for the Rugby World Cup in 2019. 'The Japanese local people welcomed them by singing the national anthem in Welsh,' he said. 'It was the First Minister who told me this story, and then I thought, "oh maybe I could sing the national anthem in Welsh as well!"'. His Welsh accent impressed fans and he admitted he 'practised hard' singing the tune four or five times a day. Colleagues would hold the lyrics written in Japanese 'and I practice, practice, practice and finally I could make that video', he admitted, but 'I just couldn't hit the high note in the second half'. Other highlights include enjoying fish and chips at the Sarson's vinegar factory in Manchester, enjoying a production of Much Ado About Nothing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and tucking into teacakes. Hiroshi, who has also heavily engaged with Japanese communities and events in the UK, also has been known to incorporate his own culture in celebrations. In constant efforts to fuse the interests of the two nations, on Burns Night Hiroshi wished good will and commented that 'Auld Lang Syne is very popular in Japan, always sung on graduation ceremonies'. For St David's Day, he brandished origami daffodil flowers. Elsewhere, for St Patrick's Day, he enjoyed some matcha - fashioned into a four leaf clover. Hiroshi had also attended the Hanami gathering in Regent's Park to see the cherry trees planted six years ago as part of the Sakura Cherry Tree Project. The tree planting program from 2017 was intended to symbolise friendship between Japan and the UK, with more than 8,000 Sakura trees now planted across the UK. He explained that 'the Sakura Cherry Tree Project was conceived as a symbol of the never-changing friendship between Japan and the UK in the aftermath of the Brexit vote in 2016'. The diplomat continued: 'It was proposed by Mr Keisaku Sandy Sano, then-Chairman of the Japan Association in the UK, and launched together with Mr Takashi Tsukamoto, then-Chairman of the Japan-British Society and myself, then-Prime Minister Abe's Private Secretary for Foreign Affairs. 'The Project originally targeted planting 1,000 Sakura cherry trees, and since then has made steady progress, with around 8,000 Sakura cherry trees already planted all over the UK. 'These trees are now blooming in numerous locations across the country. I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all the people who have pursued it with great passion and endeavours. 'I trust that these trees which have been planted as a symbol of the bonds of friendship between our two countries will be loved and well taken care of by the British people, and that such bonds will continue to spread further.' Hirosihi has enjoyed British watering holes on his visit to the Churchill Arms and shared a video of him drinking a pint on New Years Day Adorned with a pin of the Japanese and English flags, Paddington has been exploring Japan while Hiroshi and his wife have visited Hiroshi's wife, Eiko, has now taken the beloved toy to Osaka in Japan to experience the opening of Expo 2025 In his greeting statement, Hiroshi opened up about his fondness for the UK after previously working at the British Embassy of Japan more than a decade ago. 'When I arrived at Heathrow Airport, returning to London after 12 years, memories crossed my mind of the time when I left Heathrow for Japan at the end of 2012,' he expressed. 'I was Public Affairs Minister at the Embassy at that time. A general election was held in Japan in mid-December, and on the voting day I was recalled to Japan because I was designated to become Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Private Secretary. Five days later, I looked through the window over London from the plane and I vowed to myself that I would return here someday. 'Subsequently, I served seven years and seven months as PM Abe's Private Secretary for Foreign Affairs, two years as Senior Deputy Foreign Minister and G7/G20 Sherpa, and two years in Delhi as Ambassador of Japan to India and Bhutan. I have finally been able to return to the UK after all these years.' Hiroshi - who has also worked in the US, Rome, Tehran and Seoul - added that his connection with the UK began with Eiko's British friends. 'In the late 1970s, an exchange programme was started between a university run by my wife's relatives and Eton College, whereby Eton students would stay with my wife's family every summer,' he explained. 'My wife, in turn, stayed with one of these families and was treated like a daughter by the parents, perhaps because they had four sons but no daughter of their own, and she began to spend her summers there almost every other year. After we had a daughter of our own, we also took her to stay with them, and over three generations we have shared a long family history.' He then in the late 90s began to visit the family, adding that the father - a 'Knight of Malta and a former member of the Irish Guards' passed away just before he left the UK in 2012. 'But the mother, who is over 90 years old, is still looking after the house,' Hiroshi continued. 'I can't wait to visit her and spend time surrounded by the undulating meadows and the woods dotted within them. And, of course, I'm looking forward to enjoying a pint of ale in a nearby cosy local pub.' He concluded: 'We hope to become experts on the UK, just as he was an expert on Japan. Please tell us where we should visit and what we should see.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Suffolk animator on turning drawing passion into career
As a child, Will Lloyd-Cook loved to draw Marvel Comic characters, and as an adult, he has turned that passion into an award-winning 35-year-old grew up in Lowestoft, Suffolk, before going to the University of Hertfordshire to study digital has become an animation series director and worked on successful children's shows including The Adventures of Paddington Bear, Alphablocks and Digby Lloyd-Cook, who recently became a dad, wants to create shows for his daughter while also inspiring the next generation. Mr Lloyd-Cook attended the former Kirkley High School, now East Points Academy, in Lowestoft, and discovered he enjoyed drawing. He later attended Lowestoft College where one evening he flipped a coin and decided to study digital animation."I had very hard working lecturers that I owe my career to," he said."Before I went to university I didn't know any names of the software, I didn't know anything about animation." Mr Lloyd-Cook actually dropped out of his university course early to take up a job, but he took time out of work to make sure he graduated in first role was an animation fixer for Blue Zoo Animation Studio on the show Tree Fu Tom, where he specialised in the animation of the characters' clothing."Before I knew it, not only was I doing skirts and wings, but then I was getting my own shots to animate, my own sequences, then I was getting my own scenes," he continued."It just snowballed from there where it became a two-week temporary job to now 14 years in the industry." In 2019, Mr Lloyd-Cook was part of the Bafta award winning team that worked on the show Numberblocks and during the pandemic he was a part of the Emmy award winning team for The Adventures of Paddington. Both were stand out moments, as was directing the show Alphablocks and creating the Netflix show Big Tree City through lockdown."I'm incredibly proud of how we managed to adapt and get a well made series from changing the way in which we worked," he said on that Netflix show. 'Giving back' The artist takes time out of work to speak in schools and for students at his old university."I like giving back to what made me," he continued."It's also fun and it puts things into perspective because those kids you talk to, in the future they want your job and you have to stay one step ahead of them."It makes you appreciate where you are and where you came from when you see these hungry students who want to get into the industry."They inspire me to be better and hopefully they get a little bit of inspiration from me as well." Mr Lloyd-Cook also ensures his daughter is always at the forefront of his mind while working."Whenever I make anything I always think of her," he said."I like to work on shows aimed at her that she'll watch as she grows up."So I'm quite happy in the pre-school area, but the older she gets I'd like to make content for that age group so she can enjoy the stuff that I'm making." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Independent
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
What to Stream: 'Paddington in Peru,' Prince Royce, 'Mormon Wives' and Doom: The Dark Ages
Paddington bear going on an Indiana Jones-style adventure in 'Paddington in Peru' and Alexander Skarsgard playing a robot with free will in Apple TV+'s series 'Murderbot' are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time, as selected by The Associated Press' entertainment journalists: The Dominican-American singer Prince Royce covers hit songs on 'Eterno,' the surprise Bravo hit 'Mormon Wives' returns for Season 2 and there's a new gaming chapter in the groundbreaking Doom series, Doom: The Dark Ages. New movies to stream from May 12-18 — Brady Corbet's epic 'The Brutalist' is finally making its way to Max on Friday, May 16. The three-and-a-half-hour postwar saga won Adrien Brody the best actor Oscar earlier this year for his portrayal of László Tóth, a fictional architect and Holocaust survivor who attempts to build a new life in America. It was also awarded the best score (Daniel Blumberg) and best cinematography prizes. Director of photography Lol Crawley shot in VistaVision, a 70-year-old format famously utilized in films like 'Vertigo' and 'North by Northwest.' In her review, AP's Jocelyn Noveck wrote, 'It's about the immigrant experience, and it's about what happens when the American dream beckons, then fails. It also explores a different dream: the artist's dream, and what happens when it meets opposing forces, be they geographic displacement or cold economic calculus.' — Paddington bear and the Brown family go on an Indiana Jones-style adventure in 'Paddington in Peru,' streaming on Netflix on Thursday. This third installment in the charming series has a few changes from its predecessors — in the filmmaker (Dougal Wilson taking over for Paul King) and Mrs. Brown (Emily Mortimer subbing in for Sally Hawkins). In his review, AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that Wilson 'can't quite summon the same comic spirit' as King, but added that 'bright and buoyant, will do. If some of King's Wes Anderson-inspired pop-up book designs and skill with fine character actors is missing, the bedrock earnestness and unflaggingly good manners of its ursine protagonist remain charmingly unaltered.' — In March 1988, the students of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. staged a historic protest over the appointment of a hearing president instead of one who was deaf. 'Deaf President Now!,' a documentary streaming on Apple TV+ on Friday, May 16, chronicles that moment and examines its broader impact, like how it helped pave the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act. The film's visuals and soundscape were also designed to bring audiences into the Deaf experience. — AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr New music to stream from May 12-18 — Somehow, some way it has been 25 years since Britney Spears first put on a red latex catsuit and sang 'Opps!... I Did It Again' through her singular breathy tone, the title track of her sophomore album. Across the album – which includes other hits 'Lucky' and 'Stronger' – she ushered in new millennium as a zeitgeist-shaping pop superstar. Her influence in the decades that followed is unimpeachable, and on Friday, Sony will release a 25th anniversary edition of the record, complete with bonus tracks. — Colombian-Canadian singer-songwriter Lido Pimienta returns with an ambitious new album, 'La Belleza.' It arrives five years after her breakout 'Miss Colombia,' and features the inventive artist veering into new, classical influences while maintaining her interest in Afro-Indigenous polyrhythms; the record was co-orchestrated with skilled arranger Owen Pallett. It's a step up for an artist whose embrace of the past has always placed her squarely in the future. — The Dominican American singer Prince Royce covers hit songs on 'Eterno' – offering Spanglish, bachata-infused reimaginations of tracks like 'Killing Me Softly' as made famous by Roberta Flack, the Beatles' 'Yesterday,' Elvis Presley's 'Can't Help Falling In Love,' The Temptations' 'My Girl' and more. — Music Writer Maria Sherman New television to stream from May 12-18 — With shows like 'The Kardashians,' 'Vanderpump Villa' and 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," Hulu is building a roster of reality TV that's quite Bravo-esq. 'Mormon Wives' was a surprise hit when it debuted last year. It's back for a second season on Thursday. The show follows the drama among a group of Mormon women living in the Salt Lake City area who have built a following on TikTok. They call their group of friends MomTok. — After scoring big with 'The Pitt,' Max is looking to keep the momentum going with 'Duster." Co-created by JJ Abrams, the show stars Josh Holloway of 'Lost' as a getaway driver in the '70s who gets flipped by a rookie FBI agent, played by Rachel Hilson. Holloway has described the show as a throwback to when TV was less dark and more fun. It also has a groovy soundtrack. 'Duster' premieres Thursday. — 'The Chi,' a drama about a young Black community living in Chicago's South Side returns Friday. Critics and fans have praised its portrayal of life as a Black person growing up in a rough neighborhood faced with systematic racism, violence, incarceration, and poverty. Kyla Pratt — known for playing the daughter of Eddie Murphy's character in the 'Dr. Dolittle' films and as the voice of Penny in 'The Proud Family' — joins the cast for season seven. The Chi' streams on Paramount+ with Showtime. — We've seen Alexander Skarsgård as a tech bro on 'Succession' and an abusive husband on 'Big Little Lies.' Next, we get to see his comedic chops as a robot who gains free will in 'Murderbot' for Apple TV+. Premiering Friday, May 16, the show is based on a book series. — Stanley Tucci is once again roaming through Italy. The Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning actor eats and meets in National Geographic's new food-travel series 'Tucci in Italy,' which premieres Sunday, May 18 and streams on Disney+ and Hulu the next day. Each episode of the first season of 'Tucci in Italy' explores a different region in Italy — from Tuscany to Trentino-Alto Adige, Lombardy, Abruzzo and Lazio. CNN canceled his 'Searching for Italy' in 2022. — Alicia Rancilio New video games to play week of May 12-18 — If you like your games big, noisy and unabashedly gory, id Software's groundbreaking Doom series is hard to beat. Doom: The Dark Ages, the new chapter from publisher Bethesda Softworks, takes the demon-hunting space marine — now known as the Doom Slayer — back in time, sort of. His bosses have hauled the big lug to a quasi-medieval planet that's riddled with hell portals and under siege by the most bloodthirsty monsters yet. The Slayer has his usual arsenal of spectacular weapons, including a 'saw shield' he can fling like a deadly Frisbee, and some levels let him saddle up on a cybernetic dragon. It's like a heavy metal album cover come to life, and it arrives Thursday on Xbox X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC. — Lou Kesten
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Me, My Mom, and Paddington
When passengers first arrive on a train into central London, many are greeted by the ornate, towering clock face of St. Pancras International or the abstract modern dome of King's Cross. Paddington Station, three miles down the road, however, shares little of its bigger sisters' pomp. Its large iron and glass roof was probably impressive in the 1850s when it was first built, but today the station feels largely utilitarian, a forgotten relic of the city's industrial past. Despite its humble design, though, Paddington Station is a special place for me. If you wind across its tile floors, past the waiting trains, and through the hurried crowds towards its westernmost platform, you'll find, hanging on the wall, a large three-faced clock. Beneath it, sitting atop a rectangular suitcase, is a small bronze statue of a bear. Paddington Bear. Along with being Britain's most famous mammal, Paddington has, over the years, become an important part of my relationship with my mom. For the uninitiated, Paddington is an iconic figure in British culture and the main character in 29 children's books and three movies. The stories follow the small, orphaned bear as he travels from 'Darkest Peru' to London—sent there by his guardian, Aunt Lucy, when she moves into the Home for Retired Bears and can no longer care for him. After arriving at Paddington Station alone and in need of help, he is rescued by the Browns, a typical British family who bring him into their home and teach him the ins and outs of life in England. Paddington's experience in London isn't easy; the city isn't as sunny and the people aren't as welcoming as they sounded in the stories he was told as a cub. 'It's not easy being somewhere new,' Paddington tells Lucy, the Brown family's daughter, in the first Paddington film. 'Things can be very different from how you imagined.' But over time, Paddington finds a family in the Browns and a home away from home in London. The love my mom and I share for Paddington began in 2018 when, on the eve of my own departure to London for a college semester abroad, we watched both films—the first at home, and the second at a theater on opening night. By the time the credits rolled, my mom was crying. It had been a difficult time for our family—first, my sister and I had left for college, then a year after that, my father had died of cancer. And now, I was leaving again, even further away. For both of us, the films were a picture of the new friends and experiences that, even after hardship, an adventure in England could bring. But it was several years later when I returned to London—this time with a one-way ticket—that Paddington took on a deeper meaning. During my five months as an exchange student in London, I had become enamored with the city and promised myself that, one day, I'd make it a home. Three years later, that promise would be fulfilled. After two unsatisfying years working for a bank in the United States, I was accepted into a political economy master's program at King's College London. The program offered me a chance to pursue a career I found more meaningful, and—more importantly—would let me live and work in London. However, like Paddington, my move to London was not what I imagined. Only three weeks before my move, I had been diagnosed with a chronic pain condition that had quickly taken over every aspect of my life. I struggled to eat, could barely sleep, and found it almost impossible to spend more than an hour at a time outside of my home. While the condition was not life-threatening, it was poorly understood, difficult to treat, and, for many people, completely disabling. Despite the pain, the thought of abandoning my move to London was out of the question. I would find some way to get through it, my mom assured me, even though we weren't entirely sure how. But, by the time I boarded my one-way flight to England, I was at the lowest point in my life—both physically and mentally. I needed support more than ever, and I was on my way to a country where not a single person even knew my name. When I arrived at Paddington Station, like the small bear from Darkest Peru, I arrived alone and in desperate need of a family. By then, I didn't think it would be possible for me to stay in London for long, let alone excel in school, make friends, or engage with the city. Physically, I felt hopeless. My pain was worsening day after day, and I was pouring what little energy I had into navigating a new and inept medical system that seemed determined to give me as few treatment options as possible. The mental side was even worse. Anyone who has experienced chronic illness or a life-altering accident has likely felt something similar. We all have a vision of what we hope our lives will look like—building a career, getting married, and raising a family. But in an instant, that paradigm can shift. Your foundational assumptions about who you are and what you value shatter, and the future becomes a very murky and uncertain space. It's an uncomfortable, and lonely, place to be. The experience was also harrowing for my mom. She was sending her kid across the ocean, not knowing what awaited me on the other side, and for the first time in her life, she was helpless to give me the support I needed. She felt, she said when I asked her, a bit like how Aunt Lucy felt when she hid Paddington on a ship destined for England, hoping that someone would be there to take care of him on the other side. In the stories, when Aunt Lucy says goodbye to Paddington, she hangs a small paper tag around his neck, scrawled with the words 'Please look after this bear.' The tag is inspired by those given to the thousands of British children who, during the Second World War, were evacuated from London into small towns and villages where they would be better protected from the falling bombs of the Luftwaffe. 'Long ago, people in England sent their children by train with labels around their necks, so they could be taken care of by complete strangers in the countryside where it was safe,' Aunt Lucy tells Paddington. 'They will not have forgotten how to treat strangers.' Those words, 'Please look after this bear,' took on a special meaning for my mom as I crossed the ocean to start my own life in London. There were things that I would need—support, care, a family—that she could no longer give me. Instead, she was sending me off with faith that someone would do what she could not. 'That little tag was like my prayer,' my mom told me later. 'God, please look after this bear. I'm sending this kid off to this far away place where I can't reach him.' On her first trip to visit me in London, my mom bought two Paddington Bears: a small stuffed bear and a keychain. The stuffed bear she placed on the long wooden mantel in my bedroom, and the keychain she kept for herself. The symbolism was unspoken—but we both understood it. During the many nights when my pain kept me from sleep, I would stare at that bear as a reminder that, even though I was far from home, not a second went by that my mom wasn't thinking of me 4,000 miles away. If the worst came to worst—if I had to leave London, return home, even go on disability—she would be there for me. But worst didn't come to worst, and eventually, my mom's prayers were answered. Paddington's family came in the form of the Browns, and mine came in the form of a church. One Sunday morning, I wandered through the doors of a brown-bricked schoolhouse in the South London neighborhood of Waterloo, where a small nondenominational congregation met each week. The room was full of young Londoners from every corner of the world—American and Canadian runaways, a pack of adventurous Singaporeans, and more South Africans than anyone could count. I couldn't predict it at the time, but over the following two and a half years, those people would become my family. They took me in as one of their own and walked with me through the ups and downs of illness and recovery. They prayed with me, cried with me, celebrated with me, and changed me. They became close lifelong friends. They, at least, had not forgotten how to treat strangers. When I arrived at Paddington Station, the first moments of my time in London, I was at my lowest—wrecked by illness and anxious about my future. But when I stepped on the same platform several years later to leave the city—once again, with a one-way ticket—I did so with a master's degree in hand, dozens of new friends, and some of the best memories of my life. None of that would have been possible without my mom and without the foundation of love she provided me. It was because I knew she was there for me that I even had it in me to build a new family in a new country. It was her love—not just during that period, but for the 23 years leading up to it—that carried me through that time. Last month, my mom flew to Washington, D.C., for a weekend visit. It's been a year and a half since I left London to start a new adventure with The Dispatch, and almost two years since my illness went into a miraculous remission. While she was in town, we had dinner at Amazonia, a wonderful Peruvian restaurant. And then we went to see the latest Paddington movie, Paddington in Peru. In the film, Paddington returns to South America—with the Browns in tow—in search of Aunt Lucy, who has mysteriously disappeared from the Home for Retired Bears. Paddington and the Browns trek through the Peruvian rainforest, following Aunt Lucy's trail all the way to the gates of El Dorado. The mythical lost city turns out to be Paddington's long-lost home—full of oranges, not gold—and there he reconnects with the community of bears he was separated from as a cub. The movie was bittersweet for my mom. Paddington, after all, doesn't choose to stay in Peru with Aunt Lucy and his given family. Instead, he sets back off to England. London is his home now, and the Browns are the family he's chosen. That's a tension, my mom tells me, that every parent feels. You want nothing more than for your kid to never grow up, to live in your house forever, and to be somewhere you can always take care of them. But at the same time, you want them to go out into the world to build a family of their own, to build a home away from home, supported by the foundation that you gave them. Paddington's experience, like mine and my mom's, may have been unique in its intensity, but it wasn't unique in its direction. Every mother and her child will, at some point, face something similar. You raise your kid, prepare them for the world, and then send them out to make their own way, trusting that others will love and care for them just like you have. In some way, every kid eventually gets on a boat to somewhere—and each one of us has a little tag, a little prayer, hanging around our neck, tied there by our mom: 'Please look after this bear.' Happy Mother's Day.
