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.
Click on the link to read the rest of the riveting tale. Does Willie save Hannah? Does Willie get a meeting with Denver mayor John Hickenlooper and Colorado governor Bill Ritter? Does this rescue earn him a nicer trapeze to swing on?
(Thanks to Aggie for the pointer.)
This story reminds me a lot about the dog-jumping-on-the-owner-who-was-choking-on-an-apple story. Smells fishy. Here’s an alternative story:
Babysitter wasn’t paying attention. Then, somehow, she hears the choking sounds. Babysitter rushes in and saves baby. “I’ll catch Hell for this,” thought the babysitter. I know! I’ll turn my mistake of not paying enough attention to the child into a heartwarming rescue story involving the beloved family bird, Willie.
The story takes a life of its own. It gets in the papers. The babysitter, caught in a lie, decides to save her job instead of revealing the truth. Besides, whose gonna know the real story, anyway? And now, the Red Cross gives an award to Willie based on the ingenious story of a babysitter who just wanted to avoid trouble.
I think my story is more likely than a freakin’ bird saving the day.
What do you have against parrots?
I have nothing against parrots. I have everything against people using animals to garner fame.
This is a transparent and obvious attempt to steal Willie’s well-deserved fame away.
How dare you, sir!