Strange Encounter
They had had many encounters with wildlife while driving through the heavily wooded area, but he had never seen anything like this before. He looked around at his friend's faces, hoping that one of them knew what to do.
But it seemed that they were as clueless as he was. None of them had ever been put in this situation before. But they all knew that they had to act fast.
Rural Community
When they got ready to head out on that day, Steve Knoop expected nothing out of the ordinary. He never could've seen this situation coming. He had been living in a rural community for a long time, but he and his friends were about to find something they had never seen before.
They were driving on a road that bordered the woods, which meant that it barely had any traffic. He was chatting and having a good time with some of his best friends when Steve suddenly slammed his foot on the brakes.
Something In The Road
His friends yelled at him as they jumped up in surprise, unsure of what had just happened. But when they looked at the road, they saw the tiny, brown lump on the ground. They suspected that they had found an animal that got hit by a car.
But no other cars were around and there was no evidence 0f an accident. They decided to see what was going on and got out of their car. But what they found only made things stranger.
Baby Deer
As they got closer, they realized what the animal was. It was a tiny, baby deer. Steve felt his stomach twist in sadness. He couldn't stand to think that the animal might've gotten hit by a car. But as he stepped closer, the fawn's eyes opened.
He was happy to see that it was still alive, but he could tell that something wasn't right. Its thin legs were positioned around its body strangely. It looked like it was trying to make itself look smaller. But one of Steve's friends had a theory.
What Was Wrong With It?
His friend suggested that maybe the deer was trying to camouflage with the road, in order to avoid danger. But judging by its size, another friend thought that it might have just been born.
They got closer to it and noticed that it was breathing normally, which meant that it was probably unharmed and healthy. But even if it was healthy, they weren't going to just leave it alone in the road.
Couldn't Leave It
One friend said, “I think we should leave it alone,” but Steve didn't like this idea. What if another car came by and didn't notice it? He couldn't risk it getting run over. He had an idea, “I’ll just go up there and park my truck sideways and wait until it gets up,” he explained. “It should get up soon.”
As they waited for the fawn to get up, they heard a rustling sound coming from the bushes behind them.
Something Behind Them
Right after they heard the rustle, they all felt something prickle the back of their necks, causing them to freeze in their footsteps. There was something behind them, staring at them.
That was when they realized why the fawn was lying so still and trying to make itself look small. It knew of its presence all along.
Doing What They Could
Although the situation could have been extremely dangerous, Paul and Steve decided to get the fawn out of the road first. But everyone else was still unsure and scared. None of them had a better idea, so they decided to help Paul and Steve.
Paul slowly approached the baby deer as Steve grabbed his camera, capturing the moment. Paul worried about frightening the deer as he said, “It’s not gonna hurt me…I’m not worried about that.”
Helping Hand
Paul was careful not to spook it as he slowly walked up to it and crouched down next to it. He tested its reaction to his presence and found that it was relatively calm. He then decided to slowly place his hands under its hind legs and lift it up.
He got out of the road and started walking into the woods when the deer began to struggle.
It Struggled
It was freaking out and trying to escape Paul's hands. It moved its legs just as Paul stepped into the grassy shoulder of the road. It was like it didn't want to go back into the woods. One friend yelled, “Don’t drop it!”
But Paul's strong grip meant that he was able to lower the fawn closer to the ground, and then he let go. Then the baby deer leaped into the woods, right where something was waiting for it.
Waiting Mother
What had been hiding in the woods was the baby deer's mom. The men realized that it must be the fawn’s mother, as they turned toward the woods and saw that, peering at them from behind the foliage, there was an adult deer.
Steve felt relieved by the knowledge that at least the baby deer had a chance for survival and hadn’t been abandoned.
Mission Accomplished
Paul turned to look at his friends with an ecstatic look on his face as soon as he saw the fawn leaping towards its mother, “Yeah!” he shouted, with his arms in the air. The other men were also delighted that the mission was accomplished.
One of them exclaimed that it was “awesome!”. Steve, knowing what a remarkable moment it had been, decided to post the video online. But reactions differed.
The Right Thing To Do?
Some people were critical of Steve and Paul’s actions, saying the fawn probably would have made its way back to its mother who was nearby if the guys had just backed away. Most people praised Paul for helping save the baby deer, though.
Steve’s video of the incident has been viewed over five million times… but are the negative reactions to the video warranted?
Mom Always Comes Back
As a person, it is normal to worry that a baby by itself may be in trouble, but according to the Virginia Beach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, female deer do tend to leave their fawns on their own while it’s light out, and they always come back.
Most of the time it is best to leave them alone because handling them could lead to dire consequences.
Consequences
The lingering human scent on a faun could cause their mothers to reject them, so wildlife experts generally advise against touching baby deer.
The Washington Department of Fish and WildlifeIf recommends that, if you must handle them, you “rub an old towel in the grass and wipe the fawn to remove human scent” afterward. Paul had no time to clean the fawn off before it ran off — but this doesn’t mean that what he did was wrong.
Helping Animals In Need
“If the fawn is found in a dangerous place… [it] may be picked up and immediately moved several feet away from the danger,” The Virginia Beach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says on their website.
They would definitely have approved of what Paul had done that day. And we agree, too! But it's not only humans who can show an amazing amount of compassion toward other beings...
Loose
Mark held his breath. His dog Storm had never jumped into the sea like that. In fact, he usually acted like a cat around water. He paddled away from the shore and disappeared underwater.
Was he alright? Could he breathe? The waves were getting bigger. Mark’s heart stopped. But when Storm finally surfaced, he finally realized what was going on.
Hard Work
Mark Freeley was lonely. He thought working as a busboy in the evenings, a waiter between classes, and a barista in the mornings would make his day fly.
But instead, the hours dragged. He didn’t have time to socialize with anyone in Hofstra University School of Law, let alone have a relationship! He functioned on four hours of sleep a night. Eventually, the pressure started to take a toll on him emotionally and physically.
Companion
His neighbor had the constant company of a canine. Mark always dreamed of having his own dog. He promised himself that when he finally made it to a comfortable position, he would adopt a pooch to share the good life with.
However, after all the years spent working, studying, and trying to keep himself from having a mental breakdown, he wasn’t sure if he could even take care of himself. Rent was so high, he was living on pasta and noodles. Then, things changed.
Chance
After his first year, Mark finally saved up enough to move into a loft downtown. Finally, he didn’t have to eat where he slept or sleep where he ate. What was he going to do with all this room?
As he waited on the steps for the delivery van, a short man passed with a basket of pups. “20 bucks. Sir?” Mark looked down at the furballs. Maybe it was a sign? But was he ready to be responsible for another life? For the first time in forever, Mark decided to take a chance.
Puppy Love
Storm was a beautiful golden retriever. Mark soon forgot what the word ‘lonely’ meant. Storm may have left his sofa covered in long blonde hairs, but he was infatuated. He no longer had to come home to an empty house.
And as time went on, his career excelled. He was passionate and re-energized. After a year, they welcomed Sarah to their family. She was a lab mix and immediately fit in. Finally, everything had fallen into place. But there were some things Mark couldn’t control.
Walkies
Storm and Sarah kept Mark physically and mentally fit. When he didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning, they dragged him to the door for walks.
An hour twice a day was enough to tire Mark Freeley, but not Storm. Everything seemed the same that morning. Mark drank his coffee and then grabbed the leash. A stroll along Long Island beach was going to do them the world of good. But he never thought he would witness this.
Swimmer
Storm ran into the water and swam like a fish in Pirate’s Cove. Mark had only ever seen him move that fast for food! What was going on?
He disappeared beneath the surface and reappeared by a brown mound. Was it dirt? Seaweed? But as Storm made his way back to the shore, Mark couldn’t believe what was in his mouth.
Creature
When Storm finally reached land, Mark grabbed his phone. Storm hadn’t returned with a random treasure, but a fawn.
Somehow, it had fallen into the water before being dragged out by the tide. Storm opened his jaw and let the young animal fall to the ground. But it wasn’t moving. What had Storm done?
Rescue
Understandably, the fawn was exhausted from trying to stay afloat in the sea. Mark was astonished. How had it managed to tread the water? How long was it stuck out there?
But most importantly, how did Storm even notice an animal that was meters away in the middle of the sea?
Lost
The young faun had little chance of escape. Had it not been for Storm, the young creature would have surely perished. Storm picked it up by the back of the neck as it if was his own puppy.
But the fawn still wasn’t moving. Its mother was nowhere to be seen and Mark wasn’t sure what to do. Just as he got animal rescue on the phone, something amazing happened.
Miracle
Storm tugged on the fawn’s ears. After a moment, it began to wake up. He lay down next to it, hoping it was ready to get up. But when it eventually stood, it walked two steps and collapsed again.
Storm jumped to its side and began to rub his belly with his nose. Then, he started pulling the fawn’s leg. Mark thought the story was going to have a sad ending. But fate had another idea.
Fans
The young fawn eventually stood and began to walk. Mark was mesmerized. Had Storm really encouraged the young animal to stand up again? He couldn’t believe what he had witnessed.
He shared the video online which gained over 2 million views. “He only knows love and care and attention, and I swear, that’s part of his personality,” Mark later shared. But this wasn’t the first instance of Storm showing just how special he was.
Patience
Mark shared that they had been fostering two puppies that same week. Storm was six at the time, but the puppies treated him like one of their own by pulling his ears and biting his tail.
“They were tormenting him,” Mark explained. But Storm wasn’t one bit bothered. He sat peacefully as the young pups used him as a chewing toy. “This dog has never given me a day of grief.” What was Mark’s secret?
Best Friends
Storm is now 7 years old and continues to be the ideal pet. And Mark had some advice to give to new pet owners. “When you’re training from your dog, it’s all about positive reinforcement and love,” he explained.
“I’ve never had to raise my voice.” It seems as though the loving, secure environment Mark provided really helped Storm blossom into a calm, caring dog. But would his reputation remain untarnished forever?