Earlier this month, a car in Brisbane, Australia collided with two koalas who were promptly rushed to a veterinary hospital in Beerwah. Lizzy, the mother, was suffering from face trauma and a collapsed lung; Phantom, Lizzy’s six-month-old son, sustained only minor injuries but escorted his mother to the hospital, resulting in a heartwarming situation that quickly went viral.
The veterinarians successfully operated on Lizzy and moved her into recovery, and Phantom was at her side the entire time. Photographs of Phantom clinging to his mother’s side during her surgery and afterwards spread first through the Australia Zoo’s Instagram page and then soon made their way around the internet.
The veterinarians’ success should come as no surprise to those who know the history of their institution, the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. The hospital was opened in 2004 in honor of Lyn Irwin, Steve Irwin’s mother and the founder of the Australia Zoo. Doctors there have treated more than 58,000 native Australian animals since it was opened, an average of more than 5,000 animals per year.
The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital has since reported that Phantom and Lizzy are both recovering more and more every day. Now that she’s healthier and stronger, the roles have reversed and Lizzy is now the one doing all the cuddling.