A giraffe said goodbye to a terminally ill zoo worker, who had spent 25 years of his life cleaning the animal's enclosures.
Maintenance worker Mario had terminal cancer and had asked to be taken into the giraffe enclosure at Rotterdam’s Diergaarde Blijdorp zoo.
The 54-year-old was wheeled into the enclosure on his hospital bed. Within minutes, the giraffes approached him and began to nuzzle and kiss him.
The Ambulance Wish Foundation, which transported Mario to the zoo, said Mario has little mobility and finds speaking very difficult. "However, his face spoke volumes", they said. "These animals recognized him, and felt that (things aren’t) going well with him." "(It was) a very special moment. You saw him beaming." May we honor people while they are alive and well as tomorrow is no guarantee.
He passed away a few days later.
Maintenance worker Mario had terminal cancer and had asked to be taken into the giraffe enclosure at Rotterdam’s Diergaarde Blijdorp zoo.
The 54-year-old was wheeled into the enclosure on his hospital bed. Within minutes, the giraffes approached him and began to nuzzle and kiss him.
The Ambulance Wish Foundation, which transported Mario to the zoo, said Mario has little mobility and finds speaking very difficult. "However, his face spoke volumes", they said. "These animals recognized him, and felt that (things aren’t) going well with him." "(It was) a very special moment. You saw him beaming." May we honor people while they are alive and well as tomorrow is no guarantee.
He passed away a few days later.
Category
🐳
Animals