Mother Says Toddler Son Is 'Animal Whisperer,' Records Sweet Video of Him Playing with Animals
Watching kids and animals together can brighten almost any day. The innocent wonder of children tends to bring out the best in these creatures.
Of course, some kids are shy. Others are too scared to play or engage with a critter that looks unique and different.
Then there’s Deacon. His mother, Ashley DiFelice, calls her 3-year-old son “The Animal Whisperer.”
It’s a play on films and popular culture, of course.
Some movie lovers still remember Robert Redford starring in “The Horse Whisperer,” for example. And trainer Cesar Millan is called “The Dog Whisperer” for his uncanny way with canines.
But watching Deacon in action, you can clearly see his mom has a point. Animals of all kinds just flock to this cheerful little boy.
It’s probably a pretty lucky coincidence. After all, DiFelice runs a Pennsylvania 501(c)(3) nonprofit called Twist of Fate Farm and Sanctuary.
That means Deacon is surrounded by horses, cows, pigs and sheep all day long. And they sure do seem to love his company.
In fact, much of social media first came to adore this tender-hearted toddler when he was spotted romping with a lamb named William.
The Dodo posted his mother’s sweet video on Facebook and YouTube. In it, DiFelice describes her son’s compassionate nature.
“When we rescued William, he was about two days old,” DiFelice says. “Since he was so young, he needed to be bottle fed. And once Deacon saw me he wanted to do it, and they just became the best of friends.”
So now, DiFelice explains that “every time William has to go back outside, Deacon cries. He just wants him to live in our house forever.”
Then there’s a pudgy piglet named Elliot. As DiFelice says in the video, Elliot was found at an auction.
“When we brought him home, he was just terrified of people,” she adds. So Deacon began asking his mom if he could kiss and reassure Elliot.
Deacon seems to display these same uncanny skills with all sorts of animals.
“He’s the only one who can just take one of our cats and rock it, and sing to it,” DiFelice says.
Evidently, the toddler’s TLC is working wonders. Twist of Fate Farm and Sanctuary is growing, and a GoFundMe campaign has been started to help the organization find a larger space.
On her GoFundMe page, DiFelice outlines her reasons for starting Twist of Fate back in 2012. Reading her words, it’s obvious that Deacon shares her overflowing appreciation for animals.
She explains that the sanctuary assists ailing and broken horses and other creatures “because their lives matter too.” DiFelice realizes her charges never asked for their challenging circumstances and says she will “always fight for them.”
As for Deacon, he’s simply content to sit and comfort whichever creature craves some quiet connection.
“They just love him, and he just has a way with them,” DiFelice says. “He has a huge heart for a little kid.”
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