“He keeps my spirits up.”
Bob DeGroff lives alone on a quiet 40-acre property in rural Colorado.
For a long time, the solitude had become something he was simply used to. Then, after a devastating wildfire, an unexpected visitor changed that.
The friendship began in July, shortly after the Ferris fire forced DeGroff to evacuate his home.
For several days, he had no idea whether the property he had spent years caring for would still be there when he returned. Thankfully, his home survived, though the flames had come frighteningly close.
When DeGroff finally returned, he could see how near the destruction had reached. Firefighters had managed to stop the blaze just beyond the edge of his land.
Two days later, another survivor seemed to appear.
A scruffy-looking raven wandered into DeGroff’s yard and slowly approached the porch.
The bird looked rough. His feathers were patchy, and he seemed tired and hungry.
DeGroff had lived on the property for decades and rarely saw ravens nearby, so the encounter immediately stood out.
Instead of flying away, the bird walked directly toward him and stayed close.
DeGroff decided to offer some help.
He brought out a small bowl of water and some food, which the raven quickly devoured. After resting nearby for a couple of hours, the bird eventually left.
DeGroff assumed that would be the end of their encounter.
It wasn’t.
The raven returned the next day — and then again and again.
As the weeks passed, the bird slowly recovered. His feathers grew back, and he began looking healthier and stronger.
DeGroff gave his new visitor a fitting name: Ferris, after the wildfire that had brought so much upheaval to the area.
Before long, Ferris and DeGroff developed their own daily routine.
On mornings when Ferris stops by, he often arrives shortly after sunrise and waits for DeGroff to come outside.
When DeGroff appears, Ferris has a particular greeting reserved just for him. He spreads his wings and lets out several loud calls, almost as though he’s saying hello.
For DeGroff, the little ritual has become one of the best parts of his mornings.
Bob DeGroff
At first, Ferris may have kept returning because he knew food and water would be waiting for him.
But over time, something changed.
The raven became increasingly comfortable around DeGroff and eventually began sitting on his lap while they relaxed on the porch.
DeGroff started gently stroking Ferris on the back and