Orangutans have always been known for their empathy. For Darci Miller, that empathy brightened up her whole day and created a moment she would never forget. Years ago, Darci was caught in a freak accident involving fire, and ended up with severe burns all over her body. She had gone through countless operations to help her recovery process. Shortly after her twelfth surgery, she and her fiance took a trip to the Indianapolis Zoo to help cheer her up.
Darci felt self conscious, as she was covered in bandages and many of her scars were visible. But as she neared the orangutan enclosure, someone was pointing at her and beckoning her closer. It was Rocky, the most outgoing of his family. When Darci came up to him, he looked at her with kind eyes, attempting to communicate with her through them, and motioned to her bandages, miming a lifting movement.
Darci realized that the orangutan wanted her to remove the bandages and show him her scars! So she did, and he seemed intrigued.
According to zookeepers, Rocky has always liked making unique and interesting friends, and his gesture allowed Darci to feel less self-conscious – it’s something she’ll remember forever!
