VIDEO: 82-year-old man forms special bond with raccoon family
An 82-year-old man has developed a remarkable bond with a raccoon and her family.
Dick Clark, an animal lover from Woodbury, Connecticut, has been welcoming the raccoon into his life for over a year. And their daily visits, captured on video by a security camera bought for Clark by his kids, have turned into a cherished routine.
“It’s become a hobby or sort of a pastime. I’ve always loved animals,” Clark told .
It all started last spring when he was smoking a cigar outside and a raccoon approached him.
“This raccoon just came walking up to me, just strutted up, stood there, looked at me, didn't run," he recalled, adding, "I was mesmerized by her ability to get that close to me.”
After that initial encounter, the raccoon returned every day, and soon, she brought her five babies along.
Clark describes himself as a “raccoon whisperer,” noting that the bond deepened when one of the babies returned this spring after hibernation.
On an almost nightly basis, the 82-year-old sits and waits for his raccoon pal to come by.
"It's like when you had a teenage kid, and they didn't come home by 11, and you're lying there and lying there like, 'What happened? Did they go to a party?' That's how ridiculous it gets. I worry about the raccoon," he said.
When his security camera alerts him of her arrival, he eagerly goes outside to spend time with her.
“It’s my therapy, I think,” he said.
While he understands the risks of feeding wildlife, Clark takes precautions by wearing gloves and offering grapes and marshmallows.
He said she "gently takes the things out" of his hand.
"I don't need to use the glove, but I'd rather be safe than sorry," he said.
He said he always makes sure to wash his hands after their encounters.
Clark values this unique relationship, finding joy and companionship in their interactions.
“The most important thing is it just keeps me occupied. I enjoy doing it. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
See more in the video player above.
