Richard W.

Richard grew up in the farm country of Pennsylvania. His parents supported his interest in wildlife and his first job at 16 was assisting and learning from a country veterinarian. After that, life took him to 46 of the 50 states and no matter where he went, Richard felt like injured and orphaned wildlife just found him. Wherever he lived, people may not have known him by name but most of them knew who the "raccoon man" was. Richard is now retired military and currently pays for his rehab supplies out of his retirement pension. He's doing all he can to continue taking care of animals (173 last year) while also taking care of his wife, his former chief assistant, now in a coma for 6 years in a hospital bed in their living room. Richard says "there is a selfish motive for rehabbing... it makes me feel good... and the animals seem to understand."