G.W. Exotic Animal Park's Man With No Legs

    WYNNEWOOD, OK, January 11, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Declared a hero of the year by the staff and the thousand plus animals at the G.W. Exotic Animal park, is a man named John Reinke, the real hero of the animal world who has gone unnoticed by the rest of the world. John Reinke is the animal man with no legs. Back in April 22, 1994, John fell 55 feet helping a friend with a bungee jump program when something drastically went wrong. Causing John to fall 55 feet landing on a metal pole that pierced his colon and stomach, crushing both legs. Not only did he lose one leg at the time of the accident he had to have the other rebuilt with a cadaver heel being placed in the other foot that they tried to save.

Through the years of learning to live with a colostomy and going to the restroom with catheters, John fell in love with a rescued Grizzly bear named Ozzie at the G.W. Exotic Animal Park located in Wynnewood OK. For 3 years John came to the park every Sunday to visit Ozzie the bear, building him houses, swimming pools, and feeding the bear ding dongs. Falling in love with the bear and the park, John grew closer and closer to the love of the animals.

In early 2007 John moved to the park living with the park director Joe Schreibvogel who lives on the park. "Nothing slows this man's love down for the animals," says Joe. "He goes and goes, walking, crawling and doing what he has to in order to help care for the animals."

In September of 2009 John's other leg gave out and had to have it removed as well, leaving him with no legs at all. But did this slow him down? Not a chance on your life. Being in the hospital only 4 days and laying in bed for 6 more, John is out managing the park walking on two metal rods with sneakers on the bottoms all for no pay, just a reason to keep living and loving all the animals he cares for.

"The world is missing a real hero here," says Ben McAnally, the assistant park manager of the G.W. Exotic Animal Park. "If anyone deserves to be a hero it is John," he stated. "So we made him a hero, I have never seen a man work so hard to take care of so many things for nothing but love." After putting in a 14 hour day at the park you would think that a person would be tired and needing to get away from animals long enough to get some sleep. What does John do? He goes home to a crowded house and crawls in bed with a crippled African lion named "Bone digger". Weighing in at 115 pounds John shares his bed with Bone digger and any other animal needing night attention.

"Animal planet and the rest of the world is missing the story of their lives, just to see this crippled man love a crippled lion," says Joe. The park has fallen on hard times during the bad economy and the cold winter in Oklahoma. The park has started an emergency cell phone "text" program to save the park for John and the animals. All you do is text "GWPARK" from your cell phone to 85944 and this will donate $10.00 to save John's love. To visit John or the park go to www.gwpark.org or stop by on I-35 and Exit 64 South of Oklahoma City.

The G.W. Exotic Animal Park is a not for profit 501-c-3-org, for more information visit us at www.gwpark.org

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