A pet bird named Kiwi took quite the trip. The family thought the small bird was gone forever, but she made it back with the help of some new friends. 7’s Heather Walker has the heartwarming reunion — in her special assignment report “Fly Away Home.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria Rincon, Kiwi’s mom: “This is my baby Kiwi over here.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kiwi the cockatiel is more than a pet; she is part of the tight-knit Rincon family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria Rincon: “Everybody sleeps in the room with us, so yes. And when I tell you in the room, in the bed, OK?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That’s right! They all sleep together and eat together with Kiwi and the other birds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria’s daughter, Emma, even bathes with them. She was devastated when she opened the front door and Kiwi flew out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria Rincon: “I never saw my daughter cry like that day.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The family looked for Kiwi, but she was nowhere in sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria Rincon: “Every day we put the windows down and started screaming, ‘Kiwi, Kiwi,’ and I was singing the song ‘The Cucaracha,’ because I always sing that song with her, to see if she could hear me.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria posted pictures online, in case someone spotted the bird. But she knew the chances of seeing Kiwi again were slim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria Rincon: “I posted everywhere with no hope, because if it’s hard to find a dog, let alone a bird.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While mom Maria had lost hope, her daughter Emma still had faith that Kiwi would come home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Emma Rincon: “I was praying for God to bring my little birdie back.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Days later, her prayers were answered. Kiwi was found more than 20 miles away — at Holiday Park in the Everglades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jeremy Rigsby: “Yeah, it was crazy. That was a long travel, that it came down here.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While avoiding all the predatory wild animals in the Everglades, Kiwi somehow landed safely on Holiday Park mechanic Jeremy Rigsby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jeremy Rigsby: “It liked me, it hopped on my shoulder. It was a cool bird. It was really friendly, too.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He knew instantly that this bird belonged to someone, so he called for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desiree Peacock: “They call me on the walkie, and they say, ‘We have a surprise for you.'”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desiree Peacock is an animal handler at the park. She has encountered all kinds of creatures, but never a cockatiel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desiree Peacock: “I had to begin the hunt online.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heather Walker: “Did you think you would find the owner?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desiree Peacock: “Not really.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But she did — in less an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desiree Peacock: “I saw another woman posted a bird that looked identical to this one. They had the same orange spot, gray feathers. I started saying Kiwi, and the bird started flapping its wings, getting excited, so I was like, ‘OK, this has to be Kiwi.,”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria Rincon: “She texted me, and she’s like, ‘Hey, I think I have your bird,’ and she sent me the picture, and the moment she sent me the picture, I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s my baby. That’s my baby.’ You don’t need to have a mark, you don’t have to have anything when it’s your baby, you know? You feel it.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Emma never lost faith that her feathered friend would return, and she’s grateful for her new friends at the park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Emma Rincon: “Thank you for bringing my bird back”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desiree Peacock: “Of course. I’m so happy you guys have him back.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kiwi: “Chirp.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Desiree Peacock: “And he’s happy, too.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heather Walker, 7News.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"