Category: Animal House
Parrot honored for warning that girl was choking
DENVER (AP) -- A parrot whose cries of alarm alerted his owner when a little girl
choked on her breakfast has been honored as a hero.
Willie, a Quaker parrot, has been given the local Red Cross chapter's Animal Lifesaver
Award.
In November, Willie's owner, Megan Howard, was baby-sitting for a toddler. Howard
left the room and the little girl, Hannah, started to choke on her breakfast.
Willie repeatedly yelled "Mama, baby" and flapped his wings, and Howard returned
in time to find the girl already turning blue.
Howard saved Hannah by performing the Heimlich maneuver but said Willie "is the real
hero."
"The part where she turned blue is always when my heart drops no matter how many
times I've heard it," Hannah's mother, Samantha Kuusk, told KCNC-TV. "My heart drops
in my stomach and I get all teary eyed."
Willie got his award during a "Breakfast of Champions" event Friday attended by Gov.
Bill Ritter and Mayor John Hickenlooper.
Wow! I've always heard stories of dogs saving lives but never birds. It makes me wonder about their capasity for thought and feeling. Talk soon.
Trevyn Wolf
What an awesome parrot. He deserves loads of birdie treats and lots of kisses.
while this is the first time I have heard of a bird saving a life, birds, especially parrots are intelligent and entertaining creatures. I had an African Gray for years and he was fun and so sweet . I would love to get another parrot, I wish they didn't cost so much.
Wow that's amazing. I can't think on what else to say about that so I'll stop right here.
Take care all and have a blessed day.
I remember a similar story on Rescue 911 a long long time ago. This married couple had rescued a parrot whose toes had frozen to a trash can lid. They weren't able to save the toes apparently but the bird survived. This was during the East Boston gas surge. Well anyway there was a gas leak in their neighborhood either late at night or early enough in the morning that the couple were still asleep when the police warning went out. They were sleeping so deeply that they didn't hear the cops' P A system. It was the parrot that saved them by flying around their bedroom and squawking, which he apparently had almost never done before. I seem to remember quite a few animal hero stories like that on Rescue 911.
And now, for the rest of the story!
Unfortunately, Willie choked on his breakfast of champions just after receiving his award. Despite the many celebrities who were present, nothing was done to save his life. People just stood around talking and eating ham and eggs, while the poor bird expired.
"It is so sad," said the Governor's wife. "we just thought he was trying to talk."
Bob
Bob, you're sick!
Aww that's great!!