It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing this morning of Meteor the Yak, who died after being hit by a car on Route 29, according to a post by the Nelson County Farm Bureau.
Meteor captured our hearts after escaping while en route to meet his demise at an abattoir.
After kicking out the doors of his trailer at a traffic light and wandering away, the 300-pound black yak was spotted outside the NCFB on September 11, and also made an appearance at a bed and breakfast.
His bid for survival inspired creative headlines ("Yak on the lam") but more importantly he became a symbol of hope.
Stories cropped up in the Washington Post, USA Today, and other national outlets, and Meteor became an object of obsession for some.
We all love the story of the lone survivor, the rebel, the underdog. Meteor was all of those rolled into one.
We were hoping Meteor would roam free and live to become part of our local folklore. Alas, we must settle for an ephemeral feel-good story (albeit one with a sad ending), and confirmation that one animal can bring out the best in human nature, which includes a fundamental love of all living things.
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