Family Ties to Winnie the Pooh

Peter, 54, Naples, FL

 

My grandmother, Jesse Milne, was a cousin of the author A.A. Milne. She came to the United States from Great Britain early in the last century and settled on the Northern plains. I am proud of this heritage, and glad that the story of Winnie the Pooh continues to bring joy and happiness to countless others. I want to thank the Disney Company for making this iconic character come alive and not fade as so many others have done.

An Emotional Encounter with Winnie the Pooh

Mariann, 39, Oklahoma City, OK

I have always loved Disney and its characters. I remember the Bicentenial Parade when I was five years old and riding on the carousel. It's no surprise that my friends and I would watch Disney movies and sing along with Winnie the Pooh as a "little black rain cloud" during slumber parties in junior high. My two best friends since fourth grade felt the same as I did about anything Disney.

Many years later, one of these friends was taken from us in the Oklahoma City bombing. In 2008, I returned to Walt Disney World with my family – it was as amazing as I remembered. We ate at the Crystal Palace and I had my picture taken with Pooh. After he moved on to the next table, I found that I was I crying. That hug was from the three of us, but more importantly it was FOR the three of us from Pooh and the happiest place on earth.