An Eagle Named Freedom

My True Story of a Remarkable Friendship

Description

“A hauntingly beautiful story of rescue and rehabilitation….[A] gorgeous tale of redemption.”


—Susan Richards, New York Times bestselling author of Chosen by a Horse

“I could not put this book down.”


—Stacey O'Brien, New York Times bestselling author of Wesley the Owl

From the moment Jeff Guidry saw the emaciated baby eagle with broken wings, his life was changed. For weeks he and the staff at Sarvey Wildlife Care Center tended to the grievously injured bird. Miraculously, she recovered, and Jeff, a center volunteer, became her devoted caretaker.

Though Freedom would never fly, she had Jeff as her wings. And after Jeff was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2000, Freedom returned his gift. Between sessions of debilitating chemotherapy, Jeff went back to Sarvey and began taking Freedom for walks that soothed his spirit and gave him the strength to fight. 

A tender tale of hope, love, trust, and life, this moving true story is an affirmation of the spiritual connection that humans and animals share.


How can an eagle who will never fly teach a man how to live?


  • A Journey of Healing: Jeff’s devastating diagnosis with stage 3 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and the grueling chemotherapy that tested his will to survive.
  • An Unlikely Friendship: The story of Freedom, an emaciated baby eagle found with two broken wings, and the volunteer who refused to give up on her.
  • Wildlife Rescue: A behind-the-scenes look at the Sarvey Wildlife Care Center and the dedicated people who give injured animals a second chance at life.
  • A Spiritual Connection: The powerful, unspoken bond that forms as Freedom’s presence gives Jeff the strength to fight, proving that the deepest connections transcend species.

About the author(s)

Jeff Guidry is a rock and rhythm-and-blues guitarist who has played with such artists as Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and guitarist Roy Buchanan. He spends his spare time volunteering for the Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in Washington State. He lives in Monroe, Washington.

Reviews

“Jeff Guidry writes from the heart, of how his life became entwined with that of the bald eagle, Freedom (Dream Flyer), and how their bond helped heal them both. He speaks for all those who give of themselves, for a relationship that reminds us of our oneness with, and responsibility for, nature and the wild creatures that inhabit it.” - Irene Pepperberg, New York Times bestselling author of Alex and Me

“Jeff Guidry’s An Eagle Named Freedom is a wonderful book, with a lesson about hope and the positive power of a close friend--even if the friend has a beak and talons.” - Peter Allison, author of Whatever You Do Don’t Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide

“Guidry has written a hauntingly beautiful story of rescue and rehabilitation, of near misses and second chances. But mostly he has written a story about the power of love and its capacity to heal. Guidry’s life was touched by the wild ones; Sasha the cougar, Angelica the black bear cub and most profoundly, by Freedom, the diva bald eagle who fell from her nest and into his life at a time when neither could know the challenges that lay before them. And though neither Guidry nor Freedom would ever fly, they both soar above the treetops in this gorgeous tale of redemption.” - Susan Richards, New York Times bestselling author of Chosen by a Horse

“Jeff Guidry’s heartwarming story of his therapeutic bond with a majestic injured eagle catches the thermals and soars.” - Jenny Gardiner, author of Winging It: A Memoir of Caring for a Vengeful Parrot Who's Determined to Kill Me

“What a beautiful story! I could not put this book down. Jeff Guidry’s tender relationship with the ‘wild ones’ who end up at the Sarvey Wildlife Shelter is deeply moving, and the book is written with an unusual depth of honesty. Guidry’s intimate knowledge of the mind of the eagle is important for all of us as we strive to understand the ‘wild ones’ with whom we share this planet. This story shows that birds of prey are intelligent and passionate, and that bonding with an animal can be a tremendously healing experience for both human and animal. Freedom the Eagle is delightful, as is Guidry himself.” - Stacey O'Brien, New York Times bestselling author of Wesley the Owl

More by Jeff Guidry

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