While out on his usual delivery route in Australia, a mail carrier named Wayne noticed something unusual lying on the ground. Curious, he stopped his truck and went over to take a closer look — and that’s when he saw her.
A grey-headed flying fox had tragically passed away beneath a tree. But as Wayne knelt beside her, he spotted a tiny movement. Clinging tightly to his mother’s fur was a tiny baby, still alive and desperately holding on.
In that instant, Wayne’s instincts kicked in. He immediately called Wildlife Victoria for help — but he didn’t stop there. To keep the fragile baby safe from the sun, wind, and curious passersby, Wayne gently covered the mother and her baby with a box, then taped a handwritten note on top.
“Please do not lift or take,” the note read. “Injured bat under tub … Wildlife Victoria coming to pick up.”
Over the next couple of hours, Wayne returned to check on the little bat again and again, making sure nothing disturbed them while help was on the way. His care and patience touched the rescuers so much that they decided to name the baby Little Wayne — in honor of the mailman who refused to walk away.
Little Wayne is now being lovingly cared for at Joey and Bat Sanctuary (JABS), where he’s thriving.
“Little Wayne was cool and quiet, and rather dehydrated,” Julia from JABS told The Dodo. “He and his mum may have been on the power lines for a day or two before the strong winds blew them off.”
Now safe and cozy, Little Wayne is recovering beautifully — sipping on his special formula, cuddling his tiny teddy bear, and finding comfort in a pacifier. He’ll stay with his rescuers until he’s big and strong enough to fly free again.
After a heartbreaking start, Little Wayne’s story has become one of kindness and hope — all thanks to a mailman who saw a helpless baby on the ground and chose compassion over convenience.
If you’d like to help Little Wayne and others like him, you can donate to Joey and Bat Sanctuary.
