Sometimes, love and understanding don’t need words — or even species — to be shared.
Just ask Emmelina Austin and a gorilla mom named Kiki.
When the Austin family visited Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo with their 1-month-old son, Canyon, they were simply hoping for a relaxing family outing. But what happened next turned into one of the most touching experiences of their lives.
As they stopped by the gorilla enclosure, Emmelina noticed Kiki sitting peacefully with her own baby — a 7-month-old gorilla named Pablo. The new mom felt an instant connection.
“My wife mentioned that she could understand Kiki’s bond with Pablo,” Emmelina’s husband, Michael Austin, told The Dodo. “She could see how much Kiki cared for him — because she feels that same love now herself.”
On a whim, Emmelina gently lifted baby Canyon toward the glass to show him to Kiki.
And that’s when something extraordinary happened.
Kiki noticed. Then, as if understanding completely, she picked up little Pablo and carried him closer — settling down right in front of the Austins so their babies could “meet.”
For several quiet, breathtaking minutes, the two mothers sat side by side — separated by glass, but united by something much deeper.
“Kiki was talking to us with her hands,” Michael recalled. “At one point, Pablo even pressed his tiny face against the glass, and the babies were nose to nose. My wife and I both had tears in our eyes.”
In that small corner of the zoo, a simple moment between two mothers — one human, one gorilla — transcended every barrier between them.
“It was one of the most amazing experiences,” Michael said. “Such an incredible memory to share with our son someday.”
Because sometimes, a mother’s love speaks a language that every heart understands.
