Well, for heaven’s sake if you’ve somehow managed to miss this, watch it IMMEDIATELY. RIGHT NOW. With sound turned on.
I swear, people. I have to do all the surfing for some of you! This one’s pretty much my favorite cat video ev-ar. And I don’t even like cats! Enjoy…
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July 6, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Barbara Bretton
Well, thanks a whole lot, Susan Wiggs! I cried all over my laptop. That video should come with a warning. (Question: why do happy endings make me cry harder and longer than sad ones?)
July 6, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Pam
Yep, cried here too…..and thought at the last moment “gee, didn’t that look like George Adamson ?” Had to go back and look again…then had to research this, and YES ! It was George. What a thrill. As a kid, one of my favorite books was “Born Free”, the story of George and Joy Adamson raising Elsa the lioness. I always thought raising wild things was normal - (which I still do to this day, whatever comes along that needs help.) They were really the first people I looked up to as a youngster outside my family.
Thank you Susan ! What a wonderful gift on a very smokey hot Sunday.
Pam
July 6, 2008 at 9:21 pm
susanwiggs
OMG Pam, I can’t believe you ID-ed him! You have a really good eye. I was wondering what the shirtless old dude was doing there. You solved the mystery. I loved Born Free, too. One of those books that stays with you, always.
July 7, 2008 at 11:14 am
Barbara Bretton
I knew I was having an Elsa moment! I wondered about the old guy too. Born Free and The Incredible Journey — two of my favorites. (I drove my parents crazy that long ago summer. I think I used the word “spoor” in every other sentence.)
July 7, 2008 at 11:36 am
Carol
Susan / Pam
I had my son and daughter in law watch the video. I cried too. Then I told them about Born Free and how they raised a lion cub. To this day, that is one of my favorites. To see the HUG Christian gave them was such a joy and of course, the introduction of the wife. I too, wondered who was the old guy and how was he involved with the story. Full circle. Thank you both for sharing the video and ID-ing George.
July 7, 2008 at 11:49 am
susanwiggs
See, this is why I just love you, Bretton. SPOOR. I have always adored that word and don’t get to use it nearly enough.
July 7, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Pam
How great this is ! It was one of those things that just hit me, it looked too much like George not to be him…….so I Googled Christian the lion, and the two fellows names, and it linked to them asking for George to help Christian go back to the wild
There is a HUGE amount of information on George Admason (and Joy and all the lions they helped and befirended) through the Wikipedia site. I must have spent a good part of an hour looking and remembering and just flat out enjoying this whole thing again. I always wondered what happened to Elsa, and she passed away in 1961 from a tick borne disease……and George died protecting his assistant and a young tourist in camp the night he was shot by poachers, and he was 83 years old, still living in the bush and saving lives right up to the end.
Thank you Susan for putting that video link up !!!!!!!!!
Pam
July 8, 2008 at 1:08 am
writetools
I was breathless, waiting for the blood and gore to come… and it never did. What an amazing story. They are a picture of brave, faith and a little crazy looks like. Whitney never sounded better, BTW. Thanks for the post. Amie
July 8, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Helen
The video about Christian was beautiful!! I would like to send it on to friends - how do I go about this???
July 9, 2008 at 7:16 am
april
Helen, the easiest way is to send the link to this website for them to play the video. There also should be away to embed or send a link through You Tube. I can’t play the video at work so I can’t access that info or instructions. The last resort would do a search on You Tube for the video and get the information that way. It makes everything fairly easy to forward once you find the video except that You Tube is addictive. I can spend hours just linking from video to video.
July 10, 2008 at 9:01 am
naomi
Helen, here is the link to the page on You Tube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U&eurl=http://susanwiggs.wordpress.com/2008/07/06/christian-the-lion/
I love You Tube! Thanks for sharing this, Susan. I sniffled and was thankful I was alone in my shared office. LOL! I thought that was George Adamson at the end. What an amazing video. It’s amazing that when you touch someone or something deeply that act of kindness is rarely forgotten.
July 10, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Theresa Rizzo
Aww that was so sweet, I cried too. And I HATE crying, damn you Susan!
I called my daughter and her friend over to watch it when only 1/2 way through and now SHE wants a lion!
Oh, and YES, you do have to do all the surfing for me
July 22, 2008 at 10:06 am
HELEN
This a.m.– I saw this on the Today Show (16 days after I saw it on your blog, Susan.
Elsa the lion came to my mind , too.
I do believe you “scooped” the Today Show!
Thanks for doing all the work, too. I have learned so much about fashion, kitchen design, cooking, etc. Do you have any wedding planning advice? My daughter, Elizabeth is engaged, and doing a wonderful job of making plans, but I could use some advice on how to help her. Thanks!
July 22, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Omg! Christian The Lion <3 « ImaginationInspiration
[...] Christian the Lion [...]
July 23, 2008 at 8:58 am
berta
I have sent this out to my friends/family it is sooo touching, I’ve seen this video over and over again. I love it. Thanks
July 24, 2008 at 7:46 am
israelj
That’s a great find…..cool video!
July 28, 2008 at 5:38 pm
George
It is amazing video. I would like to learn more about the future of this story.
George
July 30, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Steve
It’s a fantastic video - but don’t forget that it all happened 30 years ago
Makes me cry every time, especially when I think of how much more mean and uncaring most people have become in the 30 years since it happened.
August 2, 2008 at 9:23 am
Annie
I also figured it had to be George Adamson in the video the first time I saw it. Turns out it was actually he who worked hard with Christian to get him fully rehabilitated into the wild, the knowledge of which he learned from teaching Elsa to live free. For 4 years , Adamson was still keeping an eye on him to make sure he was functioning well in the wild. Job well done, George Adamson. As far as Christian goes, I think he was an extraordinary lion, but much more so, I think Rendall and Bourke were also extraordinary young guys for Christian to love them so much.