Diesel bolted in fright in April 2019 during a hike through Cache Creek Wilderness, in Northern California. He dragged his owner through the bushes and got lost in nearly 30.000 acres of wilderness.
Terrie and Dave Drewry searched for him for weeks, even using drones. A trail camera captured a silhouette at night that could have been him, but they never found him. Little by little, they came to terms with it.
5 years later, in March 2024, a hunter named Max Fennell filmed a herd of at least a dozen elk. A donkey was walking among them. Healthy, calm, and well-fed, he seemed like one of the group. Terrie saw the video and had no doubts: it was Diesel, just a few kilometers from where he had gotten lost.
His owners’ decision surprised everyone: they won’t go looking for him. According to Terrie, he’s now “a true wild donkey,” and he looks happy.