WFSB TV - Simsbury-based toy company makes Dr. Fauci plush toys

Eva Zymaris, Olivia Lank - 4/29/2020

SIMSBURY, CT (WFSB) – A local toy company is turning the nation’s leading expert on infectious disease into a plush doll.

Josh Livingston and his company, New England Toy in Simsbury wanted to find a way to help during the pandemic.

They’re making Dr. Anthony Fauci stuffed toys as a way to honor the nation’s top infectious disease expert and to give back to the community.

“The reaction has been unbelievable since we put it up on the website,” Livingston said.

They’ve already received thousands of orders.

“With any stuffed toy of a character, that’s a real person, the facial features are key,” Livingston said.

Livingston says they wanted everything to be perfect from his features, to his glasses, to his suit.

“We decided we were going to do the cape,” Livingston said.

The Dr. Fauci toy also comes with a face mask logo with an “F” for Fauci.

“This is a keepsake that someone can have forever and maybe in 20 to 30 years from now, they can show their grandkids and say, ‘back in 2020, this was what was going on and this was a hero among many others of the time,’” Livingston said.

New England Toy will donate $5 from each toy sold to charitable organization including the COVID-19 Emergency Fund that supports Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and 4CT.

“Being a toy company, we’re doing what we do best: that’s make fun toys and bring smiles to people’s faces, giving back to charity, it’s as simple as that,” Livingston said.

If you’re interest in buying one of the stuffed toys, they are available for pre-order. Click here to find them.

Copyright 2019 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.