Giant missing rubber duck 'Teddy Ginsbird' seen… with duck hunters?
A yellow trailer top shaped like a giant rubber duck that went missing earlier this month along Highway 401 in Chatham-Kent has been found.
Affectionately known as “Teddy Ginsbird”, the duck trailer top been missing for nearly two weeks after coming loose along the highway during a strong storm.
“Well I had a good cry and then I danced around for a while and had another cry and then dance some more,” says owner Simon Shaw.
Shaw plans are in the works to have the trailer delivered to a Tilbury property for safekeeping until arrangements can be made for its retrieval.
“Apparently I passed these guys who were going on a hunting trip during the storm,” Shaw says. “And 10 minutes after I passed him they saw Teddy by the side of the road so they circled back and picked him up.”
The top half of a Toronto man's trailer, a four foot rubber duck, went missing on Highway 401 in Chatham-Kent, Ont. (courtesy Simon Shaw/Instagram)
Shaw had plans to tour his duck trailer from Alaska to Chile after seeing the positive effect it has one anyone who saw it.
“It’s funny because I had so many people contact me about this just to say that the duck made their day and they are super concerned for where he is,” Shaw adds. “I think with all of the death and horror and terrible news that we’ve seen since COVID this actually really resonates with people."
“Right place, right time I guess,” says Tecumseh’s Mike Gyetvai who discovered the giant duck head moments after it went missing.
“It all happens for a reason.”
Gyetvai says he had previously noticed the unique trailer pass by intact as he and his friend entered the highway ahead of a 10-day northern Ontario moose hunting trip.
“Just at the Tilbury cut off, we drove past it and you see just the giant duck head on the side of the road,” Gyetvai explains.
“We pass and my buddy is like, you know we’ve got to pick that up right? We figured it’s very unique, someone would probably want that back.”
Upon his return home Tuesday, Gyetvai learned the discovered duck was wanted and the focus of a two-week search, that gained attention near and far. “It was safe and sound in the back of my truck for a week or more!”
Gyetvai says he reached out to Shaw Tuesday, so arrangements for Teddy’s safe return could be made.
“Sent a message and said ‘hey I’ve got the duck head you’re looking for and here we are,’” he says.
“Just when you think you’ve seen it all,” says Cori-Anne Richardson, who is now housing the duck in her Tilbury home.
Richardson tells CTV News she spotted the duck in the back of the pickup truck Tuesday near Communications Road in Chatham-Kent. “I knew right away!”
“I had seen a few men in the truck,” she says. “I’m assuming they were all coming back from a hunting trip.”
Richardson says she reached out to Shaw online to let him know she saw his duck, but couldn’t flag the driver down.
“Just to let him know, I saw the duck. It’s in the area. I don’t know if you’ll get it back or not but it’s fairly intact,” she says.
Wednesday afternoon, Richardson picked up Teddy for Shaw to retrieve.
“He created this duck to bring and spread some positivity and we need a lot of that right now,” Richardson adds. “Really, we just want the duck to get back to Simon and he can repair and refurbish him a little bill and continue on with his positive efforts!”
Shaw remains thrilled, telling CTV News, “this isn’t actually a bad news story. This is a good news story, that the loss of this giant duck, as strange and unusual as it would be, has actually done exactly what the duck was supposed to do in the first place which is bring people together!”
Shaw notes he plans to revive his touring plans across north and South America, once repairs to Teddy have been made.
“It’s definitely back in the cards now,” Shaw adds. “I’m just beyond delighted!”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Some Canadian families will receive up to $620 per child today
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
BREAKING Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on Iran saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan, an assault coming in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Ottawa to force banks to call carbon rebate a carbon rebate in direct deposits
Canadian banks that refuse to identify the carbon rebate by name when doing direct deposits are forcing the government to change the law to make them do it, says Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault.
Ontario woman loses $15,000 to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.