Peggy Dyer
London's Daily Mail reports that Connor caught the elephant bug at age 21 while she was at a conservation camp in Northern Thailand and came face to face with baby elephant Boon Lot.
"As the baby elephant began to tug at my shoelaces, tears rolled down my cheeks. I had never even met an elephant before - but suddenly, every instinct in my body was telling me I had to care for this one," Connor says in a first person account of her story in the Daily Mail. "I had never experienced love at first sight - until now. I'm not sure what the other tourists thought of me as I stood there weeping, but I didn't care. I loved the elephant's little grey body covered in soft downy hair, and his twinkling eyes. I loved the powerful mother who stood watchful by his side."
Connor begged the owner of the sanctuary to allow her to stay and work for a few weeks as an unpaid volunteer.
Her whim to grew into a real responsibility when Connor learned that Boon Lot was being sold to work in a tourist animal show. She managed to raise the nearly $7,000 asking price to buy him herself.
"He learned to play football - kicking the ball back to me with his huge feet," Connor continues in her narrative. "And when I lay on the ground exhausted, he would flop down beside and place his trunk around my shoulders. It was like being caught in a holiday romance."
But Boon Lot sustained a series of injuries and passed away in Connor's arms, driving her to despair and back to London.
Miserable to be home, Connor called an elephant helper she had met in the jungle, Anon. He told her if she could raise the money to buy sick elephants back in Thailand, he would find land for them to build a sanctuary.
As reported in the Daily Mail, Connor sold all her belongings and headed to the jungle, where she and Anon bought four elephants who had been abused by their owners and nursed them back to health. Connor and Anon, a village boy who had never left Thailand or experienced any of the luxuries of the modern world, soon married (with 6 elephants as her bridal party) and had two children.
"I have a husband who has only once left his village. He goes fishing during the day and we cook whatever he catches at night. Our daughter plays with elephants and makes toys out of empty water bottles. She is happy and unspoilt," Connor says in her narrative. "At 28, I am giddy in love. Our son Noah was born a month ago. Here, with elephants roaming free around him, he will learn the true meaning of love."
Learn more about Boon Lot's Elephant Sanctuary here.
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What an absolutely wonderful story. Ms. Connor is an amazing woman and what she is doing with her family and Thai friends is commendable.
Yes, truely a sweet, sweet story. God bless The Connor Family. Made tears come to my eyes. Gotta love her for it. I know the elephants do. Hugs and prayers from Mt. Vernon, Virginia. Happy Holidays to The Connors & Elephants.
Love, Cookie.
This was a wonderful story! It really makes you FEEL for the poor Elephants that are lugged around everyday, abused and forced to perform for the Ringling Circus everyday. Not knowing what it feels like to roam without chains on their feet. Crammed into dark trailers with poor ventilation not knowing what is happening while they are being tranported from one horrendous show to another, depressed and scared. I wish she could rescue everyone of them since our government's animal welfare wont save them!
Ms. Conner you are a hero!
I feel for Elephants too in circuses its awful and I wouldnt spend a dime to go to a circus. I wrote on behalf of some elephants to animal protection or some place, they dont do anything! The abuse was going on for years with these ones, I cried to see photos of them chained some without water or food for too long and not being able to move. I dont understand why the government cant stop them from bringing imported animals in you cant really hide them! They look so gentle for their size but abuse will often make them the opposite then people think they are bad, they dont blame abuse and their owners. Just the same with pit bulls the are so loving animals until some abusive owner gets to them. Blame the owners not the animal is my motto anymore.
Nice story, I just hope she never has medical or other problems up there in northern thailand. I ran a civic action hospital up there for about a year, near an elephant training ground in fact, and I can assure you that she is lucky so far. I can also assure you that as soon as the elephants cease to be an economic matter and provide services, they will pretty much disappear. There are some wild elephants in SouthEastAsia but when they cease to provide a service or challenge people for resources, they just go away. Nice story, but thats about all. It ignores the realities of the region
Ms Conner, your story was most touching...I too am an elephant lover...
they are such amazing animals!! I have been to Africia on a safari and
would love to go back again!!! Cannot stand to hear of elephants or any
animal abuse. I have a big collection of elephants as well as prints.
Ms Conner is lucky her children were born healthy. No need to make a big deal about the lack of medical facilities in Northern Thailand but if she or her children should develop serious medical conditions or have a serious accident the result may well be a death sentence where in London medical treatment might solve the problem with minor inconvenience. I wish her luck with her family and chosen life. I hope she doesn't come to regret her choices later in life.
While I respect your right to comment on this amazing story, I thank God that not everyone thinks like you, in your small, closed-minded way. Otherwise, why even bother to make a difference in the world. Let's just plod along, and play it safe every day. Making a difference in the world, is way too much bother. I pity you and your tiny mentality.
i love elephants. the first time i met one was in northern thailand when i was 8. elephants are beautiful, caring, and gentle animals. they are also very intelligent.
You are the worst of the worst. Wish you would simply disappear. No country , no person deserves you
Well after reading that story, I am in awe of this lady. She did what her heart told her to do , and that is something that the large majority of people only dream of doing, bless you girl I wish you happiness for the rest of your life
u r a really nasty person i read some of ur other comments and u deserve to die int the most painful way possible and rot in hell. well nice talking to u hope ur life sucks and gets worse bye.
If you are going to insult people without valid reasons, at least do it with proper spelling.
Hey Sam, I am guessing from your post that your parents were brother and sister AND you have no friends or any reason to live.
I feel sorry for people (grubbs) like you. Hope things get better for you soon.
You, and people like you are the reason there are so many problems in the world today
The comment in # 9 . you are the real problem, in this world,What a jerk. That women has a big heart. you are probably one of the unlucky one that did not have good looks, and came from a family with not much education . or you would have not made such comments. If that lady reads your comments she should think about who and what even made that comment . take a long look at yourself.
If you are going to be racist at least get it right. Judging by the picture and the story I would say her husband in not black and her kids are not "niglets" she's in Thailand think about where that is for a minute. Why don't you respond to the story about a woman that started a sancuary for elephants where it belongs in a country that has no protection over animals. She is doing something with her life even if it is in a country with poor health care and even if it isn't an issue that is important to you. She is not wasting her time making racist comments about the wrong race. I would bet ten bucks you're not white and you think you are. How sad you'll be when you figure that one out.
Someone who followed her heart and is doing something to make the world a better place.Love this story.
Ah slimy Sam-you have probably never done an honorable thing in your whole miserable life. Now get off the computer and go get something to eat and go to bed-maybe you'll wake up a nicer person tomorrow.
An exemplary of two spectacular species living closely. Heaven?
Erewhon is disappearing on this planet, although paradise is at
your fingertips; pursue it while it [sic] may.