KENTWOOD, Mich. -- A Kent County mother is asking for the public's help in finding her son's favorite stuffed animal.

The stuffed animal monkey has been in 5-year-old Tristen McDiarmid's life since before he was born and was with him through multiple medical procedures.

His mom, Keri Flynn, says he's absolutely devastated to have lost his "best friend," and now she's doing everything she can to get him back.

"He's had him since he was born," said Flynn. "He doesn't go anywhere without him. He's literally his best friend. He is his little tag along. You don't see Tristen without Monkey."

Flynn bought the stuffed animal when she was pregnant with Tristen and says he hasn't left his side since.

"He brings him to school, he brings him to t-ball, he brings him absolutely anywhere and everywhere," said Flynn.

"He's my best friend," said Tristen McDiarmid.

Monkey was with Tristen through multiple medical procedures: when he was sick in the hospital as a baby, when he had to have surgery on his hands and most recently through surgery on his mouth. Tristen also brought Monkey to the Rivertown Crossings Mall in Grandville on Friday.

"We played at the play place and looked at the video game store," said Tristen.

That's where Tristen lost him.

"When I was at the video game store I had him, but when I was at Wetzel's Pretzels I didn't have him," said Tristen.

"We called the mall, I called all the stores he had went to and I went there personally and walked for almost two hours searching everywhere I could for him," said Flynn. "No sight of Monkey anywhere at all. By the end of the search I literally bawled my eyes out walking out of that mall not being able to find him. I wanted to be super mom and be the one that saved the day."

Flynn is asking anyone who might've found the monkey to contact FOX 17 or reach out to her on Facebook.

"It makes my heart heavy as a mother to hurt and miss something so bad," said Flynn. "It's like you don't want them to deal with this at this age."