The Duckling This Man Rescued and Released Always Comes Back To Him

• Steven found Cheerio in a swimming pool alone and his mom was nowhere to be found. 
• So he took the poor duckling home and raised him.
• Now he is very social and has lots of friends who he plays with outside every day but he always comes back home every night.

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One morning, Steven Thibeault noticed a tiny duckling in the apartment complex he manages located in Nahant, Massachusetts. The baby duck was in the pool, sickly and trying hard to survive. Quickly, he rescued the little duck and looked for his mom but she was nowhere to be found. He knew the young guy won’t be able to survive should he leave him alone so he decided to take him home and later on named him Cheerio.

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Since then,  Steven and Cheerio have been inseparable. Steven thought that one day when Cheerios is strong enough, he would leave and go back into the wild — but that didn’t happen. Cheerio would go out everyday and play with his duck friends but he would always come home at night. 

“He is pretty much on my schedule so we come to work, he spends most of the day outside and after work we go home,” Steven told The Dodo. “He does have a social life, he has spent time with other ducks which makes me happy, but at the end of the day he chooses me. That could change one day but that’s up to him.”

Steven wants the best for Cheerio and leaves the choice to him to go as freely as he needs to. But clearly, Cheerio loves his dad and he is not leaving him behind. Steven’s tenants have even become friends with Cheerio and they love to see him and give him treats. 

Cheerio also loves to swim with his duck friend and his dad is glad watching him living his life to the fullest. 

“He gets along great with other ducks, especially males,” Steven said. “He is a little shy when it comes to the ladies at this point in his life but hopefully that will change. He also hangs out with other duck and geese species like eider ducks, mallards and brant geese who spend their winters here in Nahant. He also has a few seagull buddies too.”

He is also close to his parents’ dog and cat. Although Steven never expected him to be friends for a long time, he is glad they found each other. Someday, Cheerio may want to leave and live in the wild, he is always free to do so, but for now, they are happy he is part of the family.

Source: The Dodo