Why Jimothy Captured the World’s Heart

The world has fallen in love with Jimothy – a wild raccoon born with a congenital condition that causes a shortened spine. This unconventional-shaped racoon has defied the odds of survival and now flourishes in the suburbs of Seattle. Watching him embrace life with curiosity and joy, it’s easy to understand why so many people adore him. Jimothy lives his life to the fullest and we can’t get enough of his daily activities. I know I can’t!

This little raccoon has touched millions of people in unexpected ways. He isn’t beautiful because he’s perfect. He’s beautiful because he reminds us that courage, joy, and resilience have always been more compelling than perfection. Jimothy made me realize I’d seen that same kind of beauty before.

Beauty Revealed in a Cancer Support Group

Last week, I attended my first cancer support group full of women. As we talked about having cancer, the common theme among the women was a feeling of being undesirable. We were ugly, disgusting, unattractive, disfigured…the list goes on. The chemotherapy stealing beautiful crowns of hair, surgery removing body parts that make a woman feel feminine, or young women being forced into menopause causing fatigue, hot flashes, and depression. As I listened to these women, one thing became so apparent. These women were beautiful. I mean…they were the definition of beautiful. Their suffering made them empathetic, wise, kind, loving, and angelic. The more they talked, the more I wanted to be around them. I realized I wasn’t surrounded by women who had lost their beauty—I was surrounded by women whose beauty had been revealed.

Lessons Learned at Texas Lions Camp

As a child, I was sent to a camp in Kerrville called Texas Lions Camp. At the time, it was called Texas Lions Camp for Crippled Children. My doctor told me to go there after I was diagnosed with Lupus that caused joint pain, fatigue, skin rashes, mouth sores, and headaches. As my parents drove me up Highway 27 to the entrance of Texas Lions Camp, my mother cried. I felt sick. As they dropped me off, I checked in and was brought to my cabin where I saw counselors tagging wheelchairs, crutches, hearing aids, and medication. One camper was using sign language to ask me where I was from. I panicked. She pulled out a pad and pencil and started to write to me. She was not going to let our language barrier get in the way of a friendship.

And it was there in Kerrville at a campsite on top of a series of hills where I met my best friends for life. The more I spent time with them, the more beautiful they became. My friends — Ross, DeeDee, Chuck, Cheryl, John, Waymond, Amina — were strong, determined, smart, wise, and unconditional. Later, I decided to return to Texas Lions Camp as a counselor where I met more friends — Samantha, Jason, Susan, Oscar, Ricky, Wendy, Paul, Jamie, Shirley — the list goes on and on. Texas Lions Camp was my heaven on earth, where everyone was beautiful. Like Jimothy, there was beauty among the broken.

Redefining What It Means to Be Beautiful

My point in all this? Jimothy represents real beauty. Jimothy keeps going even when the odds are against us. This quirky racoon represents what we all could be if we stepped back and looked at what is really beautiful.

Jimothy reminds us that beauty has little to do with perfect bodies or perfect lives. Real beauty is found in people who transform suffering into empathy, wisdom, kindness, acceptance, and peace.

There is always beauty among the broken.

And There Is a Cure for Loneliness

Many cancers have no cure. But, we do have the cure for loneliness, unhappiness, and despondency. We can show people suffering with cancer that they are not alone and that they are surrounded by people who love and support them. We can give them the encouragement they need to make it through their most difficult times. Help us provide this cure to some of the two million Americans diagnosed with cancer each year.

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Liz Sherman- Founder of the Keith the Cat Foundation

Elizabeth “Liz” Sherman is a 1991 graduate of Texas A&M University and has worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) for the past 25 years. Liz was hired as an imagery intelligence analyst covering regional and counterterrorism issues mostly in the African and Latin American regions.

She started the Keith the Cat Foundation to help those who are fighting cancer or any illness or battle. Her rescue cat, Keith, helped her get through her own battle with cancer. He was her constant companion who knew when she needed cuddles.

See all posts by Liz.