He was fortunate to land a nice career using his degree. He worked full-time at AT&T as a Technician, one of the nation’s largest telecommunications providers. By night, you could find Chris at the farm fencing, planning, and talking on the phone about animals. In 2008 AT&T experienced a huge cut with many layoffs, including Chris. Many people didn’t believe in his dream or relate to his vision. Chris had a very special relationship with his late grandfather, Odell Gurley. Odell was Chris’s go-to person who would help him think through major life decisions. Odell told Chris he did not need to start his own business raising animals and he needed to find a job with insurance and retirement. If you could hear Chris tell this story, he would say, “I never went against what “Pop” told me, but I’m sure glad I did and boy would he be proud now.”
By now you may be wondering, where is the magical woman who is helping this man get through all of this? Her name is Tosha and she just happens to be the lucky one to live out the movie, “We Bought a Zoo.” Tosha and Chris met in 2002 in college and now have three children. They started their life together and raised their first Blackcap Capuchin, named “Jack.” It was then Tosha began to want to support the dream Chris always had. Chris and Tosha had several date nights at Sonic Drive-in because it was the only place in town “Jack” could join them in a public setting.
It is our prayer you take a moment to cherish this time, adventure in nature, appreciate the beautiful creation, and most importantly make unforgettable memories. We want to thank our family and friends for supporting our dream. There are too many to mention here, but you know who you are. Thank you to the Huntingdon Animal Clinic for taking care of our animals. We could not do what we do without the support of our local Clinic. Thank you!
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