When you lose something, it’s always hard. 

Especially when that something is your best friend. It can be crushing, especially when you are a young child.

So when 9-year-old Valentina left behind her best friend in Tokyo, she felt like she’d lost the most important thing in her world: her “best friend” Beatrice, an American Girl doll.

Valentina Dominguez was on vacation with her parents, Rudy and Celeste. The family had been visiting Bali, Indonesia and had a layover in Tokyo, Japan, as they headed back home. They realized they no longer had Beatrice with them. 

As the family settled into a hotel, Valentina couldn’t understand how her doll could have gone missing. 

Valentina, 9, with Beatrice, an American Girl doll she calls her best friend. Photo courtesy of Rudy Dominguez

“[Beatrice] means a lot to me. She brings me happiness and she’s my best friend,” Valentina said.

When she was missing, when we got settled into our hotel, I felt very bad. I felt like my heart was broken.”

The family searched everywhere for Beatrice, which Valentina had gotten as a gift from her grandmother four years ago. The doll, they said, went everywhere with the little girl, from sleepovers to restaurants to family vacations.

“We checked our bags to see if maybe she was in there but we all remembered seeing her on the plane so once we did the search, didn’t find her, we called the airline and then we sent an email to the airline looking for her,” said Rudy, her father.

Eventually the family learned that the doll had been found at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Unfortunately, the family had already arrived back in Texas.

The airline told the family that due to security reasons, they could not ship the doll back to them. Their only option was to have someone in Japan pick up the doll for them or find someone to fly the doll back to them. 

“I was feeling very, very sad,” Valentina said. “And I felt like I did something wrong, and I was always going to be ashamed of it until I grew out of it.”

Her parents refused to give up, though. They took to Facebook and posted about the doll’s situation. 

Their post worked like a charm. Pilot James ‘Jim’ Danen, a first officer for American Airlines, just so happened to be stationed in Dallas, Texas. Even better, the route to Tokyo was one he flew frequently.

Danen said he immediately knew he would help the little girl reunite with her doll.

“It’s my nature. I like helping people … that’s just what I like doing,” the veteran pilot said.

I was really glad I could do something nice for somebody.”

Danen managed to locate the doll in the lost-and-found at Haneda Airport. Then, he took photos with Beatrice in multiple airports and during flights as he made his way back to Valentina in Texas, more than 5,800 miles away.

With Beatrice in tow, Danen drove to the family’s home and personally returned Valentina’s doll.

Pilot James ‘Jim’ Danen returned Valentina Dominguez’ best friend, Beatrice, to her. Photo from ABC

After Valentina was reunited with Beatrice, she thanked Danen, gave him a hug and asked him a crucial question.

“Was she well-behaved on the flight?” Valentina asked.

“Very well-behaved, yes,” Danen responded.

“I felt over the moon,” Valentina said of seeing Beatrice again. “I knew Beatrice was gonna be mad at me but I was happy that I could see her again.”

Her father praised Danen and his actions. “I think it’s another sign of there’s a lot of kindness in this world. I’m really happy that Jim was able to help us and thankful for him.”

Valentina’s mom, Celeste, said the entire experience has taught the family an important lesson. “When someone reaches out, help them out if you can,” she said.

For a look at this kind pilot and his journey to reunite a little girl with her ‘best friend’, watch below!

Sources: ABC | Washington Post