“She’s hurting…”
“I’m not talking about the otter. I’m talking about the person. It’s the kind of pain you feel at your high school graduation. It’s the pain when a close friend moves far away to follow their dreams. It’s the pain you feel when your children get married…
It’s a deep kind of hurt that also comes with joy. It’s the end of one chapter and the start of another. You feel the loss of what’s gone, but you’re also excited about what’s ahead—all at the same time.
Today, we met with a wildlife rehabber who asked us to care for two otters while she’s away. The otters were introduced to our team and shown the space they’ll stay in during their time with us.
Thaine hadn’t seen any otters since we released Emmet and Addie. She had raised Emmet on her own when there were no other otters for him to grow up with. We made sure he only bonded closely with one person, so he wouldn’t grow too friendly with all people. That person was Thaine.
Even though she was proud and happy to see Emmet and Addie return to the wild, Thaine cried for weeks. She had a deep connection with Emmet. She loves him. She misses him. She still worries about him.
This is the hard part of being a wildlife rehabber. Letting go hurts. But Thaine didn’t let Emmet go because it was her job. She let him go because she truly loves him. Even though saying goodbye broke her heart, she did it because it was the right thing for him. That’s what real love looks like.
Today, as she watched the new otters, she smiled through her tears. She laughed and cried all at once.
She would go through that pain again without question—because she is brave and gives her heart fully.
Thaine, you mean so much to all of us. You meant the world to Emmet and Addie, and you’ll mean the world to many more orphaned animals in the future.
Please don’t ever change.”
Newhouse Wildlife Rescue