People often say that a dog is a man’s best friend, but Donnie MacAdams thinks his horse Waco is his best friend.
Waco Hanover was a popular racehorse, but now he hangs out with his best human friend, Donnie. Donnie works at a state information centre in Vermont during the day, where he deals with many people. He can’t wait to get home to spend time with Waco, with whom he shares an apartment above the stables. Donnie has spent all his free time in Waco for the past eight years.
The friends have helped each other through hard times. For example, Donnie says that Waco helped him improve after a heart attack.
“I couldn’t carry a five-gallon pail of water because it was too hard on my body,” he said. But Waco helped him improve, and now he has no trouble with a five-pound pail.
When Donnie met Waco for the first time in 2008, he wasn’t very hungry. He told CBS News, “I wanted to dig a hole because I didn’t think he’d make it through the winter.”
But it turned out that this tough old horse wasn’t sick; he was just lonely.
“I just talked to him for about half an hour one day and got him to understand that I’m not leaving; I’m your friend. It’s been happening for eight years now.”
“Sometimes in the winter, I would go into the barn, walk down there, and just lean against the front of a stall. Donnie told CBS News, “He would put his head on my shoulder and just chew, chew, chew to make me feel better.”
This loyal horse died in 2019 when it was 42 years old. “My best friend, therapist, sounding board, and, in the last few years, a camera slut Waco has died,” Donnie wrote in a tribute to his friend. “I never thought a horse would turn out to be such a great friend. He was that and more.”
Animals can change our lives in many beautiful ways that most of us can’t even think of.
What a wonderful horse. Waco, rest in peace. Donnie and Waco were lucky to find each other and be together for many years.