NORMAN, Okla. (KFOR) – An Idaho line worker who came to Central Oklahoma to help restore power can now use a little help himself after his beloved pet raccoon went missing in Norman.
George Simmons, once upon a time, rescued a tiny raccoon that he named Coons, or Coonsie. George has a habit of taking in critters in need – squirrels, birds and even a beaver – getting them better and then getting them back into the wild.
Coonsie, however, did not want to leave George and she became his forever raccoon, or one of his two pet raccoons, actually. His other pet raccoon is named Lucy Lou.
George’s girl Coonsie has since grown into a 50-pound fluffball. She loves veggies, potato chips and Arizona sweet iced tea.
But Coonsie is now missing.
George came to the metro area to help restore power following the devastating ice storm that leveled trees and knocked out power to over 500,000 OG&E customers.
The power ultimately reappeared thanks to George and his fellow line workers, but Coonsie has disappeared.
Local residents are stepping up and showing George the Oklahoma Standard by helping him and Lucy Lou search for Coonsie in the Norman area.
“I’m just overwhelmed. I’ve never seen… I’ve been all over the United States and never seen the hospitality like I have here. Never in my life,” George said.
Coonsie had become George’s righthand girl, and now there’s a void that only her return can fill.
“She goes everywhere with me, everywhere,” George said. “When I open my door to go out of the house, she’s right here on my heels. I open the door, she gets in the truck. She goes everywhere with me.”
George says he’s staying in Oklahoma until he finds Coonsie.
Helpful Oklahomans meet up with George each night to search. The search party on Tuesday was 20-people strong. George usually searches late into the night.
You can help George by keeping an eye out for Coonsie. There are a few ways you may be able to tell her apart from the typical raccoon. For one, George says she’s three pounds shy of a world record, which means she’s pretty big. Also, she’s more grayish in color and might walk right up next to you on the sidewalk since she is such a people person…or people raccoon, that is.
LATEST HEADLINES:
