On a rainy day in Pennsylvania, Kim Fisher was driving near her home when something unusual made her tap the brakes. There, in the middle of the wet street, was a plump opossum carefully making her way across.
At first, Fisher assumed the opossum was traveling alone — but then she noticed a tiny passenger had slipped from the mother's pouch and was trailing behind.
Captivated by the moment, Fisher began recording, her voice filled with delight:
“Literally adorable,” she said, watching the sweet drama unfold.
Without hesitation, the opossum paused and waited for her baby. Moments later, the little one managed to climb back to safety, either into her pouch or atop her back, where opossum moms often carry their young.
As marsupials, mother opossums keep their babies tucked inside their pouch for the first six weeks of life. But even after that, the work of motherhood continues — babies still hitch rides on their mother’s back for several more weeks until they’re ready to go off on their own.
The animal kingdom is full of incredible displays of maternal devotion, and this simple roadside scene was no exception.
Thanks to Fisher’s watchful eye and kind heart, the little family was able to cross safely — and give the world a small, beautiful reminder of the love between a mother and her baby.
