Unexpected Rescue: Nurse Saves Raccoon

It certainly wasn’t just another day at work for Misty Combs, a nurse at the Letcher County Health Department in Whitesburg, Kentucky. When she arrived on her shift, she didn’t think she’d be dealing with wildlife.

“I had a pretty crazy day at work, but nothing like this,” Combs remarked, reflecting on the unusual events that unfolded.

While at the health department, she and her colleagues noticed a commotion near a trash can in the parking lot. Curiosity piqued, they discovered a frantic raccoon attempting to save two puppies trapped within the bin.

According to Combs, “Our health department was right next to the distillery, Kentucky Mist Moon Shine, and there were some fermented peaches in the trash can. I think the baby raccoons were placed in there and couldn’t escape.” Instinct kicked in, and she felt compelled to help.

Combs, recognizing the mother’s distress as she saw the adult raccoon trying to reach her young, quickly grabbed a shovel. She managed to scoop out the first raccoon, which eagerly ran back to its mother. However, the second one remained stuck in the bottom of the trash can, surrounded by fermented peaches and leftover liquid.

With determination, Combs pulled the second raccoon out by its tail, but it didn’t respond. “Everyone around me was like, ‘It’s dead, it’s not breathing.’ You could feel the water in it, so I started performing CPR,” she explained.

A colleague captured the intense moment on video, showcasing Combs compressing the raccoon’s chest and rolling it to administer back blows. Although she had never performed CPR on an animal in her 21 years of nursing, she was resolute in her efforts to save the creature.

Eventually, the tiny raccoon began to breathe, though Combs felt a mix of relief and apprehension. “I was worried it might bite me, and I was concerned about rabies,” she admitted.

Before long, officials from Fish and Wildlife arrived to take custody of the raccoon. They provided necessary fluids and transported it to a local vet for further care.

After its recovery, Combs affectionately named the raccoon Otis Campbell, a nod to the “Town Drunk” character from “The Andy Griffith Show.” After a brief rehabilitation, Otis was returned to the parking lot, where Combs released him back into the wild.