A Gift of a Day Visit from a Rare Bird
Anthony Amato is a big fan of parrots and used to own several of the colorful birds. He trained them to speak and perform tricks so when his Crossroads Volunteer Patty Landwehr arranged for a visit from a fine feathered friend for his Gift of a Day, he was flying high!
Anthony estimates that he has owned close to 35 parrots throughout his life and once had three at the same time.
Rich Grommet with Gateway Parrot Club brought his Hyacinth Macaw, Zoe, to visit Anthony.
Hyacinth Macaws are considered "Gentle Giants," and according to Rich, they have the best disposition of any bird. There are about 5,000 in the US and maybe about 6 or 8 known to be living in MO. They are extremely rare and can be quite costly. A baby Hyacinth Macaw typically sells for $10,000.
It was a wonderful Gift of a Day for this Air Force Veteran and has been honored with several medals for the rescues he made during the Korean War. We thank Rich and the Gateway Parrot Club for sharing Zoe with us. The Gateway Parrot Club is based in St. Louis, MO. They meet regularly to exchange information on bird care and educate the public about these beautiful birds.
Gift of a Day
The Gift of a Day program is designed to give each patient the chance to have one perfect day. Each event is as unique as the individual patients.
Read more Gift of a Day stories.
To learn more about how Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care supports terminally-ill patients, please call 1-888-563-3405.
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