A local military family has found a way to help their toddler cope when dad is away serving in Iraq. Now they say it could help bring comfort to many other kids with a parent serving overseas.

It's a huggable doll-shaped pillow called Hug-a-Hero.

Jennifer Bugbee heard about it after her husband got his orders for his second deployment to Iraq. As the time for his departure drew near, she was looking for advice designed to help her three-year-old son Tyler, who wasn't born yet the first time his dad was deployed.

She said there is a limit to what words can do - even when she tells her son that his daddy is going away to help people.

That's when she found something that has the potential to be more powerful than words.

She sent a full-length photo of her husband to the Hug a Doll Co., and they sent back the huggable pillow with his picture on it.

For Tyler, it's already a hit - even though his dad doesn't leave until next week.

"He loved it immediately - he took to it," says Jennifer. "The first morning we got it he shared his cereal with it."

Dad - otherwise known as Army National Guard Capt. Dan Bugbee - wasn't so sure at first what it would be like to have his picture on a pillow.

But now that he's seen it and seen how much his son loves it, he's a believer - and he's recommending it to his fellow Guardsmen.

"I think at first I tried to talk her out of it, but I am willing to try anything to help might make it easier," he says.

The dolls can be ordered by calling 910-333-1502 or go to hugahero.com