“The animal was not happy with how it was treated,” a local report stated, according to the Sun.

In March 2022, two men who were trying to catch a camel that had escaped from a petting zoo ended up being cornered and killed by the animal. The camel even attempted to attack the police as they were putting the injured men into an ambulance.

Before this shocking event, another camel had charged at the owner of a wildlife sanctuary in Mexico.

“The camel kicked and bit him nearly to death, and when he was almost dead, it sat on him,” The Sun reported about Richard Mileski, 60. “With all the hits and the weight of the camel on him, he suffocated.”

These incidents serve as a harsh reminder that animals, regardless of how tame they appear, can reach their limits. If you treat them with kindness and respect, they will likely respond in kind!

Are you on team camel or team human? We’d love to hear your opinions, so please share this with your friends to get their thoughts too!

Posted by The Leland Shoemake Foundation on Tuesday, September 27, 2022
“The one thing he loved most was playing in the dirt,” Mrs. Shoemake shared in her Facebook post and went on to say:

“I never thought that would be the thing that would take him away from me.”

At first, doctors were confused about Leland’s illness, thinking it might be meningitis. But after more tests, they found out he was actually suffering from an amebic infection in his brain.

“He has been experiencing severe headaches, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and now his eyes are crossed, making it hard for him to focus on anything without seeing double,” his mom wrote on the family’s GoFundMe page.

Leland fought bravely for his life, but sadly, he passed away on September 25, 2015.

When his parents came home from the hospital after saying their final goodbyes to their dear son, they were overwhelmed with sadness. Yet, in the midst of their deep sorrow, something on the family’s living room table caught their eye.

Leland, who was known for his sweet habit of leaving notes and drawings for his parents, had left one last touching message.

The note said: ‘Stil (sic) with you… Thank you mom and dad… Love.’ He also drew a red heart that had three words inside: mom, dad, and love.

It’s hard to imagine how much meaning and comfort this must have given his grieving parents during such a difficult time. Leland’s note was a bittersweet reminder of the love and bond they had, providing a small sense of peace amid their heartbreaking loss.

“We don’t know when he wrote it, but it’s clear he was always a unique child,” his mother remarked.
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For your reference, the complete story from The Leland Shoemake Foundation is provided below:

This is Amber. This will be my only update here for a while.

I was very protective of Leland and did everything I could to keep him safe. The one thing he loved the most was playing in the dirt. I never thought that would be the thing that would take him away from me. He was my everything. He made me a mother. We fought so hard to have him. He was a premature baby but came out crying and healthy. He was bright from the very beginning. By the time he was one year old, he knew his ABCs, numbers, colors, shapes, and 20 sight words. He was our little genius, and we adored that about him. He loved school and was eager to learn.

He enjoyed the History Channel, the Weather Channel, documentaries, and anything related to history. He was fascinated by ships like the Titanic and loved learning about events like WWII. He was perfect. His favorite movie was Jaws. His favorite director was Steven Spielberg, and his favorite actor was Adam Sandler. He cherished his brother and his family deeply. He was the life of every gathering. His smile could brighten up an entire city. He was the smartest, most compassionate, and loving little boy there ever was.

He could have achieved amazing things in this world. We would have very few friends in this county if it weren’t for Leland. He never met a stranger and had love for everyone. My biggest fear throughout my life has come true. No parent should ever have to bury their child. I always said I hope I go first because I don’t think I’m strong enough to deal with something like this.

It still feels unreal to me.

I find myself here, reminiscing about the things he used to say and the movie quotes he loved to repeat. Like, ‘check ya later’ from Dazed and Confused. Or, ‘you’re gonna need a bigger boat’ from Jaws. And all the countless things he would say from Billy Madison.

He was the light of our lives and the heart of this family.

I count the days until I can see his sweet face again and hear that lovely voice.

When Tim and I came home for the first time to grab clothes for his burial, we found this note from him on the living room table. We have no idea when he wrote it, but it’s clear he was always a special child.

We will love you forever, Leland. Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite!

Burying your own child is the most heartbreaking thing a parent can go through. Yet, even in this overwhelming sorrow, we hold onto the hope that we can keep sharing Leland’s story, making sure he is never forgotten.

Let’s remember him for the amazing young boy he was and let his memory remind us all to appreciate each day of our lives, because we never know when things might suddenly change.