Pewaukee girl reunites with 'best friend,' Southwest Airlines pitches in

MILWAUKEE - The saying goes, "Distance makes the heart grow fonder." A Pewaukee girl recently found out how true that is. The girl thought she might never see her best friend again after a trip to Arizona. 

Sometimes the best part of a trip is the welcome home. Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is filled with reunions – especially during the holidays. But for the Behrendt family, a warm greeting almost did not happen.  

"My daughter was crying about it on the plane," said Jessica Behrendt, mother. 

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The Behrendt family recently packed up and headed to Arizona. But in the excitement of the trip, not everyone made it on the plane.

"I didn’t realize until we were mid-flight that she had left Gracie behind," Behrendt said. 

Jessica Behrendt

Behrendt's 5-year-old daughter Lucy thought her best friend, Gracie, who happens to be a stuffed swan, would be tagging along. But she forgot the swan at the terminal. 

"Actually, the whole six days we were gone my daughter cried about it at night," Behrendt said. 

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Behrendt called the airport and the airline with no success. She turned to a Facebook group where an airline worker saw her message and did some extra work.

As the Behrendt family stepped off the plane, Lucy got a huge surprise – when she saw who was waiting for her in Milwaukee. It was Gracie.

Behrendt tells FOX6 News Lucy and Gracie are inseparable. Their reunion was so special, Southwest Airlines posted about it on Facebook. 

Southwest officials say they are looking forward to welcoming Lucy back on a flight soon – this time with Gracie as well.