Several weeks later (Thursday, 10 June 2004) as I was burning some rubbish at night time in our outside fireplace.  I was 6 feet away from the fireplace when strange things began to happen to me. I see Charlie, (our black cat) approach me and rub against my right leg. Right behind Charlie is a baby fawn that approaches me and also rubs against my right leg. I was shocked.

Having worked as a National Park Ranger, I know that wild animals don't ever approach human beings and most animals are afraid of fire. So here is this fawn, like a dog, hanging around me and walking around me and the fireplace area.  The fawn comes over and almost licks my hand. I picked him up. (I'm aware of the fact that a Mother may reject her little ones if they have a human scent, but this fawn was about 6 months old). As I was holding the fawn, I screamed for Andrei (my tenant) "Get a camera and come outside." So Andrei has several pictures of me holding the fawn. After the pictures where taken, I put the fawn down on the ground and he was with us for about 12 minutes. Just like a dog—curious and seeing what's happening. Then with Charlie, they both ran down the hill towards the creek and the woods.

So it's possible the fawn was lost—but my Asian friends (of the Buddhist faith) say it was a supernatural sign from the dead. Someone was communicating with you.  So, I don't know exactly what to believe.

However, I know 100% that wild animals avoid fire and don't approach human beings and almost lick a person's hand. Well, perhaps it was a sign from Mom! Weird.

I told this story to my doctor and the grief counselor—both said anything is possible in this world of ours—strange and unexplainable things do happen! At least I'm not crazy in my mind and I have pictures to document the event.

A few days later, I saw a mother doe and three fawns, so I assume my fawn found his mother, but in the meantime, had instructions to visit Dan.

So that's my fawn story.

Copyright © 2004 Daniel Petelin. All rights reserved.