It was supposed to be just another sunny afternoon skate for Jeniffer and John Little. The couple glided down their favorite trail, wind rushing past, music in their ears — until John suddenly slowed to a stop.
“John was a little ahead of me,” Jeniffer told The Dodo. “And all of a sudden, he goes, ‘Wait … is that a rooster?’”
Sure enough, there — tucked beneath a bridge, beside an old Nike shoebox — stood a lone, bewildered bird.
The Littles coasted closer, confused. They’d skated this path countless times before, but they’d never seen anything like this. A fisherman nearby confirmed what they were dreading.
“The guy just laughed and said, ‘Nah, I saw someone walk up, drop that box, and leave,’” Jeniffer recalled.
Her heart sank.
“I felt this mix of anger and sadness,” she said. “How could someone just abandon a helpless little animal like that? He wouldn’t have made it through the night.”
Without a word, the couple looked at each other — and instantly knew what they were going to do.
“There wasn’t even a question,” Jeniffer said. “We just acted.”
You can watch that harrowing rescue here:
She slipped off her rollerblades, crouched low, and gently approached the frightened rooster. Using the calm and care they’d learned from helping John’s mom with her chickens, they scooped him up and held him close.
They named him Nike — after the box he’d been left beside — and carried him all the way home.
What started as a spontaneous rescue quickly began to feel like fate.
“John’s mom had been telling us to get chickens for months,” Jeniffer said with a laugh. “We kept saying, ‘Maybe someday.’ But when we found Nike, it was like the universe said, ‘Here you go — he’s yours.’”
Once home, the Littles built Nike a beautiful coop and adopted six hens so he’d never be lonely again. It wasn’t long before the once-abandoned rooster transformed into a proud, happy guardian of his new flock.
“You can just tell he knows he’s safe and loved,” Jeniffer said. “He settled right in — even with our cat and dogs. It’s like he knew he was finally home.”
You can watch Nike live his best life here:
Now, Nike spends his days strutting through the yard, crowing with joy, and soaking up every ounce of attention his humans give him.
“Since Nike joined our family, our home just feels warmer,” Jeniffer said. “Sure, there’s a bit of extra cleaning — and, well, the poop — but it’s all worth it. He brings so much happiness and peace into our lives.”
From a forgotten shoebox under a bridge to a backyard filled with love, Nike’s story is a reminder that sometimes, the most unexpected encounters lead to the most beautiful beginnings.
To keep up with Nike’s life, you can follow his family on Instagram.
