An Open Letter from Billy Young, the Bird Man of Altamonte Springs

This is the comment Billy left on a post I wrote about his mother, Ann Young, the Bird Lady of Altamonte Springs. She passed away on August 31, 2008. Please take time to read what he has to say and if you feel inspired, leave a comment or e-mail him at the address listed at the bottom of this post.

“The immediate loss of hope in his face and eyes was all that was needed for me to move forward with what I already knew, THE REFUGE MUST CONTINUE!”

First and foremost, I would like to apologize for having taken so long to respond to all the heartfelt comments posted by those that shared so much of my mother’s life over the last 30 years. I have, on many occasions, read and tried to respond but could never find myself to finish. Then it hit me, as many things have since she passed, that she would not have wanted me to wrestle with tears simply to say “thank you” and to remind everyone that we must get on with our lives; that we are still here and that each day is a gift to be lived to the fullest no matter how difficult it may seem. To smile and hug those you love and even those you don’t and to “Get Back To Work.”

Don’t get me wrong, there isn’t a day gone by since 3:15pm, August 31st, that I do not catch myself thinking of her, shedding a tear, or reminding myself how lucky I was to have her as my mother. The Bird Lady aside – hear her on that one – there was a time when Ann Young was a wife and mother, caring for us with as much love as she did for her feathered ones after we flew the coop. How many kids can boast to their friends that their mother took them to rock concerts: Aero Smith, Pink Floyd, Robert Plant, Cher, Sarah Brightman – even Elvis! – not once, but twice! She couldn’t drive a car as we all know (and thank God, given the number of times she yelled STOP or LOOK AT THAT! regardless the traffic situation.) Many years ago my family had a weekend getaway. She had a motorcycle and spent many a days riding through the woods with her waist length, jet black hair blowing in the wind (like Cher as we ribbed) alongside my father, myself and my sister. Then, there were the outings of us and friends going down the river in an inner tube being absolutely terrified, she could not swim! She just did it!!! Those days, I will never forget along with many, many more.

About the coop! As you may or may not know, I’ve inherited THE ANN YOUNG WILD BIRD REFUGE and for a split second, I thought of taking my memories of her, my childhood and her many, many, many and then some, personal effects and walking away! Why not? It would be far easier to deal with the loss than having to be reminded of it each time I walked through the door at 205 Robin Road.

However, that was too quick to change within a few days of her death. First of all, birds are everywhere as we travel to and from to work, lunch wherever, and every time I hear a crow, blue jay, mockingbird, etc., I can hear her as much as I hear them. And, although the birds surrounding her home have left to go wherever it is that she is now, there remains a wren and mockingbird that swing by daily looking for meal worms, perhaps her? Then a longtime friend came by with a baby bird one day. I was working in the front yard as he walked towards me, with a confident step, box in hand, that she would save the little one inside and that it would soon fly free again. This was the first time that I had had to tell someone with a bird, that she was gone. It was hard enough to tell those without, to my surprise, instead of crying, he stood steadfast and replied, “What do you mean she isn’t here, she is always here, anytime, day or night, what do I do”? The immediate loss of hope in his face and eyes was all that was needed for me to move forward with what I already knew, THE REFUGE MUST CONTINUE! It was and is, just as much about the birds and people as it was about Mom!
In a million years, I don’t think my mother would have thought that someone would take over the commitment it required to do what she did and I know personally, she never expected it to be me. But I am, and there are those, as you read this, gearing up for the upcoming baby season.

The refuge WILL REOPEN as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, as a matter of fact! Not far beyond that, I will launch a website so that anyone, anywhere, can be part of THE ANN YOUNG WILD BIRD REFUGE, her life, and what it is that we do and where we would like to go from here. By no means can I or anyone else replace her, but life must go on and it will lay the ground work for the refuge to continue providing the love and compassion as she did, after we have all passed on!!

It won’t be easy, but nothing ever is that’s worthwhile, RIGHT?

Please, never forget her and everything that she brought to you, what ever it was and in the way she did it, and remember the refuge around March of 2009 should you have a wild injured bird, to volunteer!!

Thank you for my strength Mom, I love you.
Billy Young

Please, feel free to email me with any questions, comments or wish to donate to our efforts at:

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