Herman,a former dairy farmer and goat lover and owner, has been struggling in recent months to get out of his former nursing home and onto his feet and into the Mansion. He made it, but it is not simple or easy for him. He lost a great amount of weight and had a number of serious falls.
He is learning to walk confidently.
I know he was a goat lover and asked Treasure if he might come down to the bottom floor and bring her goats to meet this sweet and big-hearted man. The connection with the week-old Screaming Mimi (Treasure and her partner Donna breed miniature goats) was instant and magical, beyond my expectations. The goat, more than a week old, just fell in love with Herman, it was as if she had known him all of her life.
She was completely at ease lying over his heart. She lay down on his chest and didn’t move.
Herman was deeply affected by her, he teared up a bit and every few seconds, kissed her on the forehead. She went to sleep on his chest, she just took to him instantly. An active and curious animal, she did not move.
I could see how wonderful this was for him, how much it lit him up, touched so many emotions.
Herman shows everyone his mug, with his old cat painted on it. He raised goats for years, he was overjoyed to be with Screaming Mimi, we let them be together for more than a half hour. Treasure has agreed to keep visiting the Mansion and Herman, the staff was thrilled at how much she brought him up and left him so happy.
The goats affected him deeply, even more than Red. Goats were a huge part of his life, it is important for him to have made this connection today.
This is something he can really look forward to, something that connects him to his past and is where his heart obviously was. Dairy farmers are among the most impassioned animal lovers I have ever seen, and it must be an awful loss for them to leave all of that behind them.
From now on, he can look forward to seeing some goats regularly. Get him up and moving.
This was one of the most powerful emotional moments of my therapy work, I was grateful to be there to see it. I am touched by Herman, he has as big a heart as there is.