The Claudia Brown

It was July 30 and I had a long day ahead. Two of our beloved goats were very ill and needed round the clock care. My anxiety was mounting as their conditions worsened, but I still hoped both would pull through.

“Hey! Are you in the area today?”

It was a text from my best friend, Rachel.

“Hey! I’m home, ” I replied. “I am goat sitting a couple sick goats. What’s up?”

We chatted a bit and I made plans to stop by the next day.

“Sounds good,” she wrote. “Love you!”

That evening, the moon was a crescent in the black sky. Neither goat could walk so we had propped each up to face the other so they would have some company.

I left the farm to make dinner for Roger and myself, and when I returned, Roger was cradling our beloved Patches. She had passed in his arms.

Gilbert the Goat watched, his eyes still bright and alert despite the weak condition of his body.

I had planned to see Rachel the next day but Patches’ passing hit me hard and I could barely function.

“Oh gosh, that sounds horrible!” Rachel texted. “No worries! I hope you feel better! I’m sorry to hear that!”

One week later, my dear friend Rachel went missing and then was found murdered on a popular hiking trail.

Meanwhile, Gilbert hung on by a thread. He still couldn’t walk, which is generally a death sentence for livestock. I bought him a sling, and Peter helped me prop him up so he could stand upright and regain his strength.

The diagnosis was “bankrupt worm,” a parasite that lived in the soil and only emerges under certain weather conditions. The hot and rainy summer provided the ideal climate for the parasite to multiply. If the parasite didn’t kill, it would debilitate the animals – “bankrupting” the farm.

As I watched Gilbert trying to balance in the sling, I opened Tik Tok and a video about Rachel popped up in my feed. I felt like I was dreaming when an image of Rachel and Gilbert filled the screen! It was a favorite photo of mine and the creator must have taken it from my Facebook page.

Since Gilbert had come from the “Green Gables” farm, he had been named after a character in “Anne of Green Gables,” the children’s book that was a favorite of both Rachel and mine growing up.

In the book, Anne grew up longing for a “kindred spirit,” a close friend who would understand her well enough to know what she was thinking.

Rachel had the best sense of humor, and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud! In that moment, I felt like Rachel was right there with me.

Then, suddenly I had an idea!

Gilbert was still alert and eating well. Maybe a special needs sanctuary would take him in and provide him with the specialized medical care needed to get him back on his feet?

I did a quick Google search and emailed every sanctuary I could find in the tri-state area.

Star Gazing Farm, Animal Sanctuary messaged me right back. After consulting with the board, they agreed to take him in and provide him with special needs care.

Just a few days later, we drove to the sanctuary to bring Gilbert to his new home and meet its founder.

Her name is Anne.