Whitesburg, KY – In an extraordinary act of compassion, a nurse from Kentucky recently saved a drunken raccoon that had passed out after eating fermented peaches. Misty Combs, a nurse with the Letcher County Health Department, performed emergency CPR on the unconscious animal, ultimately helping it regain consciousness and return safely to the wild.
This heartwarming rescue has gone viral, highlighting the extraordinary lengths humans will go to save wildlife in distress.
A Surprising Encounter in a Parking Lot
Misty Combs and her co-workers were preparing to begin their shift when they noticed a distressed raccoon near a dumpster at the Letcher County Health Department parking lot in Whitesburg. The raccoon appeared frantic, trying to rescue her two trapped pups inside the dumpster.
According to Combs, the baby raccoons had feasted on fermented peaches discarded by a nearby distillery, resulting in their intoxication. Unfortunately, one of the pups became submerged in a puddle of water and was unresponsive.
Motherly Instinct and Emergency CPR
Driven by what she described as her “motherly instinct,” Combs sprang into action to rescue the pups. While she freed one of the babies with a shovel, the second pup appeared lifeless and soaked from the puddle.
Unfazed by the potential dangers, such as rabies and the raccoon potentially snapping at her, Misty immediately started performing CPR on the pup. Footage from the incident shows her giving chest compressions and patting the raccoon before it gradually took breaths and came back to life.
“Everyone around was like, ‘It’s dead, it’s not breathing.’ But I just started doing CPR on it,” said Combs. “The entire time, I was afraid it’d come to and eat me up, and raccoons carry rabies, so I was afraid of that.”
Recovery and Return to the Wild
Following the rescue, the team contacted the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, which transported the baby raccoon to a local veterinarian. The vet examined the animal and confirmed it was healthy enough to be released back into the wild.
The next day, Combs helped return the rescued raccoon to the same parking lot where it had been found, marking a successful rescue story.
- Misty Combs: Nurse who performed CPR on the raccoon
- Location: Letcher County Health Department parking lot, Whitesburg, Kentucky
- Cause: Raccoons intoxicated after eating fermented peaches from a distillery dumpster
- Outcome: Pup revived and released safely back into the wild
Expert and Community Response
The incredible rescue highlights the unpredictability of wildlife encounters and the compassionate response from community members. While raccoons are generally wild animals that require cautious interaction, this incident underscores the importance of quick thinking and kindness.
The Larger Message: Compassion Beyond Species
Combs shared her amazement at the pup’s survival, expressing how rewarding it was to be directly involved in bringing an animal back to life.
“I was surprised it lived, and so it was amazing to see something that I helped bring back to life,” Misty said.
This story reminds us of the delicate balance between humans and wildlife and demonstrates that sometimes it takes a little courage and empathy to make a big difference.
What do you think about this touching rescue? Have you ever witnessed or helped a wild animal in need? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
