A man "can't stop smiling" after British Airways got in contact with him following his trip to America.
Robert Barrie, 29, was returning from the "trip of a lifetime" in Pittsburgh after flying to watch his heroes the Pittsburgh Penguins take to the ice. In a stroke of luck Robert who suffers from Motor Neurone Disease was able to meet the players after the game and was given two signed hockey sticks.
He paid an extra £100 to have the sticks shipped back to the UK but on his return to Manchester, the bag was empty. Robert's mum Lynn said the family "cried all the way home" and became worried about his health.
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However, after the ECHO's story on Robert yesterday his mum said British Airways have been able to locate the hockey sticks and now Robert's "journey is complete".
Lynn, from Runcorn, said: "The trip was very difficult for Rob due to his condition and it took it out of him. He struggled but he kept saying it was worth it and he could not believe he was there.
"So for the sticks to be lost really hurt him and they signified the whole trip which he had worked so hard for. We had been hoping they would turn up then I got a call from British Airways to say that they had found them I could not believe it I just started shouting out to Rob."
According to Lynn, the sticks had not left Pittsburgh and after being checked by security had been placed in an office inside the airport. Since the news, Lynn said Robert has not "stopped smiling".
She said: "They will be home before Christmas which is all Rob cares about. When they were lost and he was broken-hearted he felt like some part of him was missing but now the journey is complete."
A spokesperson for British Airways said: "We’re delighted to have worked with the airport to find Robert’s ice hockey sticks. Our teams are working hard to get them back to him as quickly as possible."
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