You might have already seen some special needs pets, such as cats and dogs. But special needs pets come in every shape and size. Some are furry and four-legged, others are feathery and two-legged.
This special needs duck is named Cheerio.
He’s got one eye and some destructive neurological issues.
His mom, Amanda Clark, didn’t think he had a great chance at survival. Amanda helps run the Here With Us Farm Sanctuary based in South Central Pennsylvania.
But this duck would prove that he can put the “cheer” in “Cheerio”. He survived to 10 months old and is still going.
Cheerio manages to be a happy little duck despite his condition. He has difficulty walking though, thanks to the neurological problems.
And we all know ducks love water and the rain. Cheerio can’t just go swimming in ponds by himself, though. He’s in no condition to do that.
So if Cheerio ever wants to get out and get his feathers wet, he needs to do it under some supervision.
After being inside for the longest time, Cheerio got to experience rain for the first time while his mom filmed his reaction.
This waterfowl finally got to add the “water” bit to his name for the first time, and it was well worth the wait.
Here With Us Farm posted the video to Reddit and that’s where it went viral. With over 6,000 upvotes, it was seen and shared by millions of people.
In the video, Cheerio sits happily in a little harness and soaks up every drop of rain that touches his feathers.
You can see Cheerio’s missing eye pretty clearly in the video from Reddit. Not having both eyes to see the rain with doesn’t seem to dampen his enjoyment at all!
“His little face lit up. You could see how curious he was and how happy to be experiencing it.” said Amanda
Amanda said she got a bit emotional watching Cheerio enjoy the rain.
Something about this duck, with all his setbacks still enjoying something, really touched her.
Other ducks get to experience this all the time, while Cheerio needs supervision to enjoy it for the first time.
That dissonance does seem pretty emotional when you think of it like that.
Despite their trouble walking, Cheerio and his sibling Dandy still manage to swim.
Amanda mentions in a Reddit comment that, yes, the ducks can still swim despite the missing eye and neurological problems.
I assume they need supervision to swim too, but at least they get to do it.
Amanda learned a thing or two from Cheerio, and we could too.
“He is so determined and truly an inspiration to always keep going, keep trying and never give up. Finding joy in even the small things. He’s just an amazing little guy.”
If you ever feel unsure about trying something out, remember Cheerio: the not-so-ugly duckling who proved that every minute of life is worth living.
Watch the video from Reddit down below!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
