Magpie Hero Saves Caregiver After Two-Story Fall

Quick Smiles:

• A magpie named Jellybean saved Sandie Gillard after she fell from a two-story window.
• Jellybean, once rescued by Gillard, tapped her awake, enabling a life-saving call for help.
• Gillard’s lifelong care for animals was reciprocated in a remarkable way by her feathered friend.

When Sandie Gillard took a tumble from a two-story window, it was a small, winged hero that came to her rescue.

The impact left her unconscious, a state that could have been fatal if not for the intervention of Jellybean, a magpie she once nursed back to health.

The story unfolds in 2020, in the secluded town of Esperance, Western Australia, where Gillard, then 68, was known for her dedication to caring for sick and abandoned animals.

Three years prior to her accident, a young magpie had been brought to her after falling from a tree.

Gillard, with her extensive experience in rehabilitating birds, took in the little creature and named her Jellybean.

For months, Jellybean was part of the family, mingling with Gillard’s loved ones.

“She played with my grandson,” Gillard shared.

The magpie, even after learning to fly, stayed close, often tapping on the door to greet her caregiver.

Gillard has no recollection of the fall itself, which left her with a cracked skull and a severely dislocated right arm.

“I woke up to this little sound of purring… and something tapping me on the forehead,” she recalled.

It was Jellybean’s gentle prodding that stirred Gillard awake, allowing her to call her husband.

He arrived just in time to contact emergency services, who quickly transported her to a hospital.

Doctors informed her that any further delay could have been catastrophic.

With her recovery in mind, Gillard decided to relocate to be closer to family, leaving behind her beloved Esperance.

This decision, though difficult, was made easier by the knowledge that Jellybean and other birds she cared for were thriving.

It’s a tale of mutual care and gratitude that neither Gillard nor her feathered friends will forget.

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