Schwarz teddy bear finds a new home

After months of campaigning, the 3-ton candidate welcomed supporters at an energetic rally.

The FAO Schwarz bronze teddy bear was unveiled yesterday at its new home, the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts-New England Medical Center.

''My health is good, the Floating Hospital got the bear, and the Red Sox won the World Series; what more could I ask for?" said Diamond Tincher, 15, of Haverhill. Tincher has leukemia and has been going to the Floating Hospital since she was 2 years old.

When FAO Schwarz went bankrupt last year, it donated the bear to the children of Boston. In July, Mayor Thomas M. Menino called on the children to find the bear a home.

A month later, 7,000 suggestions came pouring in from 34 states and five countries, as far away as Ethiopia and Pakistan.

With the help of a crane and a flatbed truck, the bear was moved two weeks ago from its longtime niche on Boylston Street to an undisclosed location, said Catherine Bromberg, spokeswoman for the hospital. Then, early Friday morning the bear was set into place at the Floating Hospital, covered by a tarp and secured with rope.

''This was my lifelong dream, coming here and being on TV," said Samantha Fargo, 8, of Medford, who was helped onto the bear by Menino. ''Like the World Series, this is a day I will remember for a long time."

Samantha receives treatment at the hospital for a metabolic disorder, which limits her physical activity. Her mother, Justine Fargo, said she has to carefully select activities for her daughter.

Seeing how excited her daughter was about the bear, she decided to let the girl attend.