Nurse Saves Drunken Baby Raccoon with CPR After It Feasts on Fermented Peaches
Trending: Viral Animal Rescues Highlight Human Compassion
In a heartwarming tale that’s captured the internet’s attention, a quick-thinking nurse in Kentucky performed CPR on a baby raccoon that had passed out after gorging on fermented peaches from a local distillery’s dumpster. The incident, which unfolded on August 14, 2025, near the Letcher County Health Department in Whitesburg, has gone viral, with videos of the rescue racking up millions of views across platforms like X and TikTok. Misty Combs’ “motherly instinct” turned a potential tragedy into a feel-good story, reminding us of the unexpected ways humans step up for wildlife in everyday settings.
The Unlikely Rescue: From Dumpster Dive to Revival
Misty Combs, a registered nurse at the Letcher County Health Department, was heading into work when she and her colleagues spotted a distressed mother raccoon frantically searching the parking lot. Drawn by the commotion, they investigated a nearby dumpster belonging to the adjacent Kentucky Mist Moonshine distillery, which had discarded peaches used in their 80-proof peach moonshine production. Inside, they discovered two baby raccoons trapped amid the fermented fruit and rainwater that had pooled at the bottom.
Using a shovel, Combs safely extracted one kit, which scampered back to its mother. But the second was unresponsive, face-down in the water—likely having gotten “drunk as a skunk” from the alcohol-soaked peaches before drowning. “Everybody around was like, ‘It’s dead, it’s not breathing.’ It had drowned, and it was full of water. You could feel the water, so immediately, I just started doing CPR on it,” Combs recounted to Lex18. With a coworker’s help, she pulled the limp raccoon out by its tail and began compression-only CPR, patting its back and performing chest compressions until water gushed from its mouth.
Video footage captured by her colleagues shows the tense moment: Combs gently flipping the animal over, urging “Come on, baby, come on!” as it coughed and slowly regained consciousness, taking its first breaths. “It was the motherly instinct in me,” she said, admitting her fears: “The entire time, I was afraid it’d come to and eat me up, and raccoons carry rabies, so I was afraid of that.”
From Vet Check to Wild Release: A Happy Ending
Once revived, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources arrived on scene, transporting the baby raccoon—affectionately dubbed “Otis Campbell” after the boozy character from The Andy Griffith Show—to a local veterinarian for evaluation. The vet confirmed alcohol intoxication from the fermented peaches and administered fluids, warm blankets, and monitoring until the kit sobered up. Deemed healthy, the raccoon was released back into the wild the next day, right in the same parking lot where the drama began—reuniting with its family.
The distillery itself joined the fun, posting the video on Facebook with a cheeky caption: “Proof that underage drinking laws should be strictly enforced. Even in the animal community. PLEASE, DRINK RESPONSIBLY!!” Their peach moonshine, described as “peach cobbler in a glass,” unwittingly became the culprit in this wildlife mishap.
Background: Raccoons and Their Boozy Misadventures
Raccoons, notorious urban scavengers, are no strangers to human-induced intoxication. Fermented fruits like overripe peaches or fallen apples can produce natural alcohol, leading to “drunken raccoon” sightings that make for viral gold. In this case, the peaches—discarded after flavoring moonshine—created a potent trap in the dumpster, attracting the curious kits and causing the mother raccoon’s panic.
Combs’ actions align with broader wildlife rescue trends in the U.S., where everyday heroes like nurses and firefighters often intervene in animal emergencies. A 2024 study by the Humane Society noted a 20% rise in such incidents due to urban expansion, emphasizing the role of quick medical knowledge in saving lives—furry or otherwise. Rabies concerns are valid; raccoons are primary carriers in the U.S., but Combs avoided bites or scratches, showcasing caution amid compassion.
Impact: A Viral Boost for Compassion and Caution
The video has exploded online, viewed over 46,000 times on local outlets like The Mountain Eagle and shared by national media such as People and The Independent. Social media reactions range from awe—”Nurses save everyone, even trash pandas!”—to humor, with memes dubbing it a “raccoon DUI.” It highlights the distillery’s quirky role in local lore, while raising awareness about securing dumpsters to prevent wildlife hazards.
For animal lovers, the story reinforces the importance of professional intervention: Contact local wildlife services (like Kentucky’s at 1-800-858-1545) rather than handling rabid-potential animals yourself.
Conclusion: A Tail of Quick Thinking and Second Chances
Misty Combs’ CPR heroics turned a boozy dumpster dive into a heartwarming rescue, proving that compassion knows no species. The baby raccoon’s revival after its fermented peach binge is a reminder of nature’s quirky perils—and human kindness’s power to overcome them. The takeaway: Whether it’s a patient or a party-animal raccoon, a nurse’s instincts can make all the difference. Next time you spot a tipsy critter, call the pros—but hats off to those who step up like Combs.