A Tiny Deer Showed Up Alone… and Found a New Chance at Life (2 of 2)

Within days, the change was visible. He began to take unsteady steps across the kitchen floor, his hooves sliding a little on the linoleum. Soon he discovered the joy of nudging a small toy ball across the room. And one afternoon, he let out his first loud snort — almost as if he was testing his voice for the first time.

We named him Rulf. The name just came to us, as if he had always been Rulf.

Weeks passed, and his legs grew stronger. His coat developed a healthier shine, and the once-nervous eyes now carried curiosity. We knew the day would come when we’d have to let him go. He belonged in the wild, or at least somewhere that would prepare him for it.

When the day arrived, we drove him to a wildlife sanctuary, a place where rescued animals are cared for and taught to live freely again. The staff promised he’d have space to run, shade to hide in, and eventually, the chance to return to the forest.

The goodbye was harder than we expected. Rulf stood at the gate, looking back at us, then toward the trees beyond the fence. In his gaze, there was trust, curiosity, and a quiet confidence that he’d be okay.

Sometimes, when I walk by the edge of the woods, I wonder if he’s out there now — running with the other deer, grazing in the tall grass, or watching from a safe distance. And every time I catch sight of a young deer in the distance, part of me hopes it will pause, turn its head, and that I’ll see the familiar eyes of the little fawn we once called Rulf.