On this day in 2018, humanity lost a magical soul. Her name was Koko the gorilla:

Koko was no ordinary gorilla, she was hand-raised by Dr. Francine “Penny” Patterson, who soon realized that Koko was destined to be extraordinary. Trained in American Sign Language from a young age, Koko learned to communicate with her human caretakers in ways no other gorilla had before. Her vocabulary eventually grew to over 1,000 signs, and she understood more than 2,000 words of spoken English. Through this unique ability, Koko opened a window into the mind of another species, showing the world that gorillas could express emotions, desires, and even humor. She was a creature of deep emotions and profound connections. She loved cats, adopting several over her lifetime, and treated them with the same care and affection one might expect from a human parent. Her bond with her caregivers was unmistakable, filled with moments of tenderness, laughter, and even sorrow. Yet, it was Koko’s final message to the world that left everyone in surprised. In her later years, Koko began to express concerns about the state of the Earth. Using her signs, she spoke of nature, urging humans to “protect Earth”. This message, coming from a gorilla, was not just surprising-it was haunting. Many believe that Koko had a unique understanding of the fragile balance between humanity and the natural world, a balance she implored us to preserve. There are those who think Koko’s words were not her own, but rather a scripted message she was trained to deliver.

(“EverythingFunGram“)

A little context for the clip often called Koko’s “last message”: The Gorilla Foundation explains that it was a conservation PSA created for the 2015 Paris climate conference, using a script and footage edited from several sessions. It wasn’t a spontaneous farewell. That context matters, and so does the love her story stirred in me.

As far as I’m concerned, beautiful souls recognize other beautiful souls. So, if you just keep your eyes closed and heart open, you’ll find all “your people”. Well, Koko, my love, while I never “saw” you with my actual eyes, I SEE YOU NOW, and yes, you’re one of my people (just like all the other animals who have touched my life and taught me things).

The first time I saw this clip on social media, over a year ago, it was set to that song I love to hate the most, “In This Shirt“. I wanted to share the conservation clip with its original audio, so I’ve included it above. I dropped the song here below in The Diary again in her honor. If any soul that’s ever graced this planet is deserving of such a bittersweet ballad to break our own souls in half as much as her story moved mine, it’s Koko. Without ever having said a single word, she spoke with such beautiful conviction of her heart.