Dying Zoo Worker Gets Goodbye Kiss From Giraffe

[Ichingcarpenter]

A terminally ill zoo worker got a goodbye kiss from a giraffe after he was wheeled in to see the zoo animals one last time.


The 54-year-old mentally handicapped man named Mario had worked as a cleaner at the Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands for approximately 25 years. After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, he wanted to say goodbye to the animals.

After Mario was brought to the zoo on a stretcher by the Dutch Ambulance Wish Foundation, one of the zoo’s giraffes reached down and nuzzled Mario for a goodbye kiss.


http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2014/03/21/dying-zoo-worker-gets-goodbye-kiss-from-giraffe/

[Rex]

1. ...

[Feral Child]

2. Brought tears

[narnian60]

3. Oh, my.

Precious.

[Auntie Bush]

4. How sad!

Proves the man had been kind to the animals. Good job, well done, Mario.
When his time comes...may he RIP

[rhett o rick]

5. Animals know. nm

[joeybee12]

6. Dang...now I'm crying...this is heart-breaking...

Wonderful, but heart-breaking.

[RebelOne]

7. That is definitely an AWWW photo and story. n/t

[malaise]

8. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[WatermelonRat]

9. I worked at a zoo for a while, and working with giraffes was definitely one of my favorite parts.

They're surprisingly friendly animals. You have to watch out if you have long hair though, or they might try to take a nibble!

[Tree-Hugger]

10. Oh my god

[Bigmack]

11. Tears in my old eyes….YAY animals

They just know SO much more than we give them credit for. Thanks for the post Ms Bigmack

[Tom Ripley]

12. Beauty in the world

[shenmue]

13. A giraffe tried to kiss me once

I didn't let him, though. Not on the first date.

Nah, what happened was that I was at Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, and I was on the platform overlooking the giraffe area, and a giraffe just walked up and stuck out his tongue. Everybody laughed.