For seven years, a one-eyed goose named Billy waddled through yards and along sidewalks in a Baton Rouge, Louisiana, neighborhood, greeting residents who knew him by name and treating every day like Halloween.
Billy, who couldn't fly and arrived in the neighborhood without explanation, quickly became a local fixture — a neighborhood mascot.
"He was our mascot. I mean, everybody here knew Billy. We don't know where he came from. He just showed up here," said Rachel Jackson, a longtime resident.
Billy's daily routine included visiting multiple houses for food, especially warm bread that neighbors would heat in the microwave. Many residents were unaware he was making his rounds to every home on the block.
"It's kind of interesting that he was trick-or-treating to every house on the block, and we didn't all know it," said Ami Wallis, Billy's friend.
Wallis whistled for Billy each morning, and the goose would call back. Over time, the two developed their own form of communication.
"Billy was like another little person. He tried to talk. He would, like, beep at you, and you'd beep back," Wallis said.
More than just a familiar face, Billy served as a caretaker in the community. He even kept watch over the neighborhood ducks: Effie, Ellie and Emmy.
"Billy would be seen swimming along with babies that were not his because the parents needed a break, and Billy was like, 'OK, I'll do nanny duty,'" Jackson said.
Residents trusted him enough to let him freely interact with their children, eventually earning him the title of neighborhood "Mother Goose."
"He just was a bright light for us. To see that everybody really cared for him and - and how much everybody, um, had a connection to him was really uplifting. And it really showed me a lot about how much he's touched so many lives," Jackson said.
When Billy was attacked last month, likely by an alligator, neighbors rushed him to a nearby animal hospital. Veterinarians determined he needed to be euthanized.
Billy's death prompted an outpouring of memories on social media, revealing how deeply he had become an integral part of the neighborhood.
"After he passed away, there were a lot of people who posted stuff on social media, and you got to see like how much people liked him. And most of the time, you would've thought he was just some random goose in the neighborhood, maybe an inconvenience for many, but he actually really wasn't," said Britta Leise, another one of Billy's friends.
The community created a memorial and held a sunset toast in Billy's honor, complete with "Bill-ritas." Wallis also installed a permanent metal tribute that reads: "Billy, Forever Loved."
David Begnaud loves uncovering the heart of every story and will continue to do so, highlighting everyday heroes and proving that there is good news in the news with his exclusive "CBS Mornings" series, "Beg-Knows America." Every Monday, get ready for moments that will make you smile or even shed a tear. Do you have a story about an ordinary person doing something extraordinary for someone else? Email David and his team at [email protected]
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