A four-year-old has become a real life-star of the John Lewis Christmas ad after releasing a balloon to the moon – to try and contact his late granddad.
Little Alfie Mills released the balloon in memory of his gramps Stephen Mills, with a note telling him how much he and younger sister Gracie-May missed him.
The note read: “Grandad, miss you and love you. Love Alfie and Gracie-May xxxxx”
But just 20 days after releasing the balloon, Alfie’s parents, David, 33, and Katie, 25, were told on Facebook that the balloon had been found 650 miles away in Germany.
David and Katie, of Barnsley, South Yorks., told Alfie that the balloon and been kissed by his granddad and sent back down to Earth.
David, who runs Yorkshire Rose Holidays, said: “It was Alfie’s idea to send the balloon because he wanted to get it to the moon.
“We told him that his granddad went to heaven in January but he has always said that he’s on the moon.”
Granddad Stephen, who ran the family coach business, was 57-years-old when he passed away from problems with his heart in January this year.
Now Alfie believes when the moon is out in the night sky that he can see his granddad and that his granddad can see him.
David said: “We were told on Facebook that the balloon had been found in Germany and we were really surprised that it had travelled all that way.
“Alfie was so excited when we told him that his granddad had sent the balloon back to Earth. He had a little smile on his face and we were able to show him pictures of the note in Dinklage, Germany.
“It was nice of the person to post a message on Facebook. I had written on the back of the note asking whoever found it to get in touch. We really happy that it was so special for Alfie.”
