Soccer reporter at The @Guardian. Photographer, mechanic, total jerk.
Writing about ๐บ๐ธ soccer & all of its wild, weird history.
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Thought I might share a life story from a few months ago to brighten your day. Back in March, I spotted a raccoon on the side of the interstate that had very clearly been run over. I pulled over thinking Iโd have to put it out of its misery. We ended up becoming good friends.
The happy end: Karen cut him loose recently. He has the run of her property in the woods now.
I only ever named him the day before he was released - a friend suggested โClover,โ because we were both so lucky to have found each other. โ๏ธ A few weeks later, I stuck him on my leg.
So Ale Bedoya grabbed a field-level mic after scoring his goal and shouted, live on national television:
"HEY CONGRESS, DO SOMETHING. END GUN VIOLENCE NOW."
My man. Need a lot more voices like his in pro sports. #DOOP#DCU
Over the next month or so, Karen kept our little guy in an enclosure in her barn, with several other raccoons. Miraculously, he made a near full recovery. I had assumed his back was broken - I was wrong. I returned a couple of times to see him. I am so grateful to Karen, truly.
It was around rush hour and a snow storm was setting in. He couldnโt move his back legs at all, but after one look at him I knew he might have a chance to survive.
Animal control wouldnโt do anything, but I managed to find someone 60 miles or so away of who might take him in.
I got there and it turned out she couldnโt take him in - she wasnโt authorized to treat โrabies vectoredโ species. She gave me the phone number of someone who would. 80 miles away. In Culpepper, VA. At this point it was 7PM & the storm had set in. Our friend was still calm, tho!
It took a couple hours in some pretty terrible conditions but eventually, we arrived! At this point the raccoon had fallen asleep, lol. I woke him up, hopeful weโd reached his new home, a sprawling, beautiful farm.
So, against my better judgement, I threw a beach towel over him and wrangled him into the back of my SUV. I understand, obviously, that these little guys can carry rabies - it did not keep me from helping him and I would do it again. ๐คท
Karen Lamb (fantastic name given her job) was the real hero of the night. She runs Nirvana Ridge, a wildlife sanctuary. She managed to get our friend into a cage, and she promised to look after him and do the right thing if needed.