NEW BERLIN — UPDATE: A New Berlin boy has been reunited with his special hat.
His mother, Krislyn Holaday-Wondrachek, says it sounds like it was an honest mistake by a woman who was dining at the same restaurant that night. The woman contacted Krislyn on Tuesday and arranged a meeting to bring Sammy back his coat and hat.
"She said her sister saw the news broadcast and told her about it, and that's how she found us!" Krislyn wrote on Facebook. "We are grateful and relieved, and tomorrow Sammy will have his same old jacket and hat for the snow that is coming!"
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A New Berlin mom is making a plea for help in finding her son's important winter hat. Krislyn Holaday-Wondrachek said that her son Sammy considers it more than just a piece of clothing. He has autism and has sensory processing issues. It took her son weeks to adjust to wearing a hat, making him rarely without it.
"Sammy has autism and apraxia. He is 9-years-old and non-verbal," said Holaday-Wondrachek.
On Saturday night, the family went out to dinner at Cocina Real in New Berlin. It was a busy night so customers were required to wait for tables. The Wondracheks went to the bar area so that Sammy wouldn't have to stand.
"We took off Sammy coat and we put it on the back of the chair," said Holaday-Wondrachek.
When they got called to their table they left without the jacket. When they went back to find it, it was gone. So was Sammy's beloved Ohio State hat which they had stuffed in the sleeve.
"He is very defensive about his head. So getting him to accept a new hat has always been a problem for us. And it's a sensory processing problem for him. It just doesn't feel right to him," said Holaday-Wondrachek.
The hat was a gift from his grandmother.
"She sewed a special strap to the side which had little snaps on it which would stay on his head," said Holaday-Wondrachek.
So once it felt right for him he rarely went without it.
"He always wants it. He will always wear that hat even if it is warm enough that he doesn't have to wear that hat. He loves that hat," said Holaday-Wondrachek.
The restaurant manager said he searched for the coat and the hat, but could not find them. They think someone might have grabbed them by mistake. Sammy's mom said they do not care about the coat.
"We would just love to get the hat back," said Holaday-Wondrachek.
The family hopes if someone has the hat they will just drop it off at Cocina Real. If you have any information, click here to contact the family.
