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Andy with some of his fans picture credited to Jessica Korgie |
In 1987 a grey goose named Andy was born without any webbed feet on a farm in Harvard, Nebraska. In 1989 Gene Fleming from the nearby town Hastings heard of the disabled Goose. Gene was a member of a local charity for disabled children and an inventor. Glen would take in Andy and his mate Polly and moved them to his farm in Hastings.
Gene would try to give Andy more mobility with a skateboard prosthesis, but it would fail. He would then fit Andy with a pair of specially adapted baby shoes, and this was successful as he taught Andy how to walk. The miraculous goose would then catch media attention and inspired many who were handicapped.
Andy would appear in things like People magazine and The Tonight Show. He would then be given a lifetime supply of shoes, which was convenient because he would wear out his shoes at least once a month. Unfortunately, his life would be cut short.
On October 19, 1991, Andy would be kidnapped and found later in a local park. The Flemmings had no idea that he was missing until the phone call asking "Is Andy Ok?". The people who found him in the park recognized the poor Goose's well-known shoes. His head and wings were removed.