Lyn Chalmers started Locky’s Legacy wildlife shelter 16 years ago. It is named after a little Brushtail possum who passed away overnight unexpectedly in his sleep. Locky’s Legacy is located approximately 10km north of Pakenham, Australia and covers approximately 5.9 hectares of hilly, native bushland with a dam and a creek running through the end of the property, providing a vital water source for wildlife. 

I had the honor of helping with the animals for one short week in November 2023.

One of the baby wombats died yesterday. He had been found in its mother’s pouch after she had been hit by a car. The death of a baby wombat that has been rescued wouldn’t be particularly noteworthy in the bigger scheme of things. This one was a little different story.

Lyn had taken Tom (not his real name) in when he was quite young. She bottle fed him and cared for him along with the dozen other baby wombats in her care at the time. Lyn is an immensely caring person and believes every animal in her care deserves a chance to thrive and be released into the wild.

Tom was one of her favorites. When the local paper came to do a story on the rescue shelter, Tom was the poster child used in the photo shoot. 

A few weeks later, Tom jumped or fell off of something that was just high enough to damage his leg. Lyn put him in a separate playpen, nursed him and consulted with the vets. After much discussion, Tom was taken to the local animal hospital for assessment. X-rays were taken and it did not look good. However, when the vet looked at the X-rays, she had a different opinion. She felt there was a good chance Tom’s leg could be repaired by inserting a metal plate to allow for healing. Tom was transported to Melbourne’s animal hospital for surgery.

The surgery last almost 3 hours. All had gone well. Because the vet wanted to watch Tom overnight. She took him home with her. Everything that could be done had been done. Lyn drove home, optimistic that Tom’s life might be saved. She knew that a broken leg in a young wombat almost certainly meant euthanasia. From the moment she realized he had injured the leg in his fall, she had feared that would be the outcome. Guilt over allowing a circumstance where he could fall made the situation even more painful. With the surgery and care, there was hope. Amazing what caring people will do to try to save the life of one small animal.

A few hours later, the dreaded call came. Tom had died. The stress of surgery was too much for his little body. Lyn was consumed with guilt. She was sure it was her fault and she was in immense pain over the loss. 

So, stepping back, looking at the story from a different perspective, how much does Tom’s death really matter? It’s a cold question to ask. I just kind of wonder. There are tragedies happening all around the world. There always are and there always have been. If there is a scale for tragedy, this little event hardly measures up to the others.

The story isn’t really about Tom. It is Lyn’s story. Here is a woman who has dedicated her life to saving small animals. After surviving leukemia 16 years ago, she felt the need to give back. Caring for rescue animals at the shelter she and her husband have built is her way of serving the universe. Tom’s death hurts because she failed to save him.  

I held Lyn as she cried and encouraged her to remember the 100’s of lives she had saved. In time, that may be helpful. In the moment, it simply didn’t matter. I admired her bravery; what courage to continue to take in wounded animals, knowing the vast pain that comes with the loss of any of them! 

For all the little creatures who could not say it, I say THANK YOU, Lyn. We hold you in our hearts and wish you joy.