When Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Texas, a large steer became trapped in the mud.
Everyone in the Rayford Road area of Spring, Texas, came by to help out. At 15-years-old, this longhorn- Samson – was too big to miss! With his notably long horns, the community has come to know him well.
“His owners have had him since he was a calf. He’s very much loved by them, and everyone in the community. He’s a gentle giant,” said Amanda Sheridan, a local resident.
As Samson’s yard became filled with water, he began sinking into the mud. Kenneth and Margaret Tann, Samson’s owners, were extremely worried!
“He weighs about 1800 pounds. The ground became like quicksand,” Kenneth Tann explained. “He’s a member of our family, and we started asking neighbors for help to get him out.”
Kaeleigh Jordan, the Facebook admin for the neighborhood’s page, found out about Samson’s situation. She posted an urgent message:
“Can anybody help? A longhorn stuck in the mud!! Please? This is a beg!!”
When Amanda Sheridan saw the Facebook post, she got her whole family!
“Come on! We are going to help rescue Samson,” said Sheridan.
Fortunately, many others saw the post as well! In fact, almost two dozen people came to help in raincoats and boots.
“Y’all want to go get a cow out of the mud?” said Christopher Miller, a man staying in the Rayford Road with a friend.
“No one hesitated,” Miller said. “Everyone got up and immediately grabbed shovels and we hopped in the car.”
It seemed as though fate brought the community together!
When Christopher Miller made it to Samson, he noticed the number of people there to help! “Armed with shovels and the clothes on our backs, not a one of us cared what we were getting into,” said Miller. “Trucks were pulling up left and right. People were coming through neighboring yards like ants.”
When Sheridan arrived she felt discouraged about saving Samson.
“It had been raining for hours. It was right when the hurricane was in its prime point,” said Sheridan. “Samson was in a hole. He could not get up. He needed help or he was going to drown.”
Of course, Samson’s owners were thankful to see the community coming together to help their steer. “All of a sudden I looked up and saw more than 20 people I never saw in my life wanting to help,” said Kenneth Tann.
To make sure Samson had a safe place once lifted from the mud, the crew put boards on the ground.
In order to pull the longhorn up, they wrapped straps around Samson’s body and pulled with a tractor. Unfortunately, the tractor also got stuck in the mud.
Things started feeling really bleak. Samson seemed to be going into shock!
The team of rescuers put the straps onto an SUV. “Next thing I know a good bunch of us were working on a Jeep, just using good, old-fashioned manpower,” said Miller.
Samson was out of the mud!
While it was great to see him safely above the ground, he was clearly not doing well. “He didn’t want to move. His eyes were rolling in the back of his head. We didn’t think he was going to make it,” said Sheridan.
Everyone searched for a veterinarian. They had blankets and tarps on Samson.
“We started moving and massaging his legs, trying to get circulation going,” said Sheridan. “My kids were cheering for him saying, ‘Come on Samson!’”
Samson could feel the love around him. “Samson kept looking for his ‘mom’ [one of his owners],” said Sheridan. “She would get down on her hands and knees and call to him, and tell him she loved him. You could see him respond.”
After about a half hour, Samson was eating!
The rescuers were coated in mud and cold, but it was all worth it to save Samson.
“This was love in its purest form. I don’t know anyone I met there,” said Miller. “We exchanged hardly any small talk while we worked, but we all knew each other on a deeper level.”
For Sheridan, the rescue experience was life-changing – it even made her daughter wish to be a veterinarian!
“He is like their dog. They love him very much. He has a barn, a huge pasture and a beautiful home. He is very tame, but intimidating looking,” said Sheridan. “He looks cautiously before he turns his head — he has those big horns! But he just knew we were there to help him, not to hurt him. We’re so glad he’s part of our community.”
“Margaret and I are thankful we live in an area that cares and watches out for another when challenges arrive, no matter how big or small,” said Kenneth Tann.
Source: The Dodo
