For a boy and his best friend, it was a joyful reunion.

After national intrigue and diminishing hope, 4-year-old Luke Swofford of Rockwall was again clutching his teddy bear — named Teddy Bear — Wednesday morning. The pair were separated last week at Dallas Love Field after Luke returned with his grandparents from a trip to Colorado.

In the end, it turned out Teddy hadn't wandered far. Ian Fryers, a security compliance officer, found the worn stuffed bear in an airport break room after consulting surveillance footage.

To Luke and the rest of the Swofford family, Teddy Bear's disappearance hit hard.

"We know it's just a silly bear, but to us he's more than that," Luke's mother, Nikki Swofford, said tearfully on Wednesday. "He's a member of our family."

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Teddy, with some help from Luke, gave high fives to everyone who helped after their reunion at the airport's Lost and Found office.

It was 8:45 p.m. Thursday, past their bedtime, when the duo were separated. Luke was on a bench with his grandparents outside baggage claim, waiting for their ride home. As they loaded up their luggage, Teddy was left behind.

Quickly after pulling away, Luke’s grandmother, Brenda Swofford, realized the bear was missing and they turned back.

But it was too late. Teddy Bear was gone.

Luke Swofford, 4, and his mother Nikki Swofford talk with the media inside the Lost and Found office Wednesday. (Jae S. Lee / Staff Photographer)

After searching the airport and checking Lost and Found, Luke’s mom wasn’t optimistic.

“I figured they probably won’t find him,” Nikki Swofford said.

In one last attempt, she posted on Facebook on Monday, asking for help and advice.

People flooded the post with advice, offers to help and stories of their own children’s fuzzy friends.

“I was surprised with the outpouring of people giving support,” she said. “It was heartwarming to have complete strangers helping us.”

The search ended Tuesday afternoon. The airport posted a video of Teddy being carried to the Lost and Found office.

A Love Field employee called Swofford at work to tell her the good news.

“I was celebrating in my office,” she said. “I was trying not to break down, because I had to go back out and work.”

Teddy Bear is unlike any other stuffed animal Luke has.

“He’s his world,” Nikki Swofford said. “He’s his best friend.”

1 / 9Luke Swofford (right), 4, and his mother Nikki Swofford enter Dallas Love Field Airport to pick up his teddy bear named "Teddy Bear" they lost from a trip back from Estes Park, Colo., in Dallas, Wednesday, July 26, 2017.(Jae S. Lee / Staff Photographer) 2 / 9Luke Swofford (second from left), 4, high fives Ian Fryers (right), Airport Security Compliance Officer, who found Luke's teddy bear named "Teddy Bear," on the way to pick up his beloved Teddy Bear as Luke's mother Nikki Swofford looks on at Dallas Love Field Airport.(Jae S. Lee / Staff Photographer) 3 / 9Luke Swofford (right), 4, and his mother Nikki Swofford wait outside the Lost and Found office.(Jae S. Lee / Staff Photographer) 4 / 9Luke Swofford (center), 4, leaves the lost and found office with his mother Nikki Swofford (left) and Sheneice Hughes, Manager of Customer Relations, after the family picks up his teddy bear named "Teddy Bear" at Dallas Love Field Airport.(Jae S. Lee / Staff Photographer) 5 / 9Luke Swofford, 4, and his mother Nikki Swofford talk with the media inside the Lost and Found office after the family picks up his teddy bear.(Jae S. Lee / Staff Photographer) 6 / 9Luke Swofford, 4, poses for a photograph with his teddy bear named "Teddy Bear" after he picks him up at the lost and found at Dallas Love Field Airport in Dallas, Wednesday, July 26, 2017. (Jae S. Lee / Staff Photographer) 7 / 9Luke Swofford (left), 4, holds an arm of his teddy bear named "Teddy Bear" to high five Peggy Geisinger (right), Office Assistant of the Lost and Found, as Airport Security Compliance Officer Ian Fryers, who found Luke's teddy bear, inside the Lost and Found office at Dallas Love Field Airport.(Jae S. Lee / Staff Photographer) 8 / 9Luke Swofford, 4, plays with his teddy bear named "Teddy Bear" in the hallway after he picks him up at the lost and found at Dallas Love Field Airport in Dallas, Wednesday, July 26, 2017. (Jae S. Lee / Staff Photographer) 9 / 9Luke Swofford (second from left), 4, walks on the bridge to the parking garage with his grandmother Nana Swofford (left), mother Nikki Swofford (second from right) and sister, who the family didn't want to give her name, after the family picks up his teddy bear named "Teddy Bear" at the lost and found at Dallas Love Field Airport in Dallas, Wednesday, July 26, 2017. (Jae S. Lee / Staff Photographer)

When asked how much he loved Teddy Bear, Luke spread his arms as wide as he could.

Teddy was given the VIB — Very Important Bear — treatment during his time at Love Field. Airport employees took him to see the cockpit of a plane and the air traffic control tower.

Teddy left with airport gear that is sure to make Luke’s other stuffed friends jealous. The bear showed off some of his new stuff on the airport’s Instagram account.

Teddy and Luke certainly have a lot of catching up to do, after spending five days apart.

Luke said they were going to talk about all of Teddy’s adventures — and then take a nice long nap together.