One sunny afternoon this past summer, Riyadh Khalaf was walking down a busy street when something unusual caught his eye — a small, white egg lying all alone on the pavement.
It looked fragile and out of place, with no nest or mother in sight.
“We just found what we think is a duck egg just sitting here on its own,” Khalaf said in a video he recorded at the time.
Normally, ducks tuck their eggs safely into nests hidden under bushes or tall grass. But this one was exposed, vulnerable, and almost certainly abandoned.
Khalaf, a lifelong animal lover, couldn’t bring himself to leave it behind. So he carefully brought the egg home, placed it in an incubator, and waited.
Five days later, his patience was rewarded.
“It’s moving! It’s moving!” he exclaimed when he noticed the tiny signs of life inside.
Weeks passed, and on day 28, a faint crack appeared. For nearly 29 hours, Khalaf hovered nearby, watching as the determined little duckling worked its way free. Finally, the shell split open, and a tiny face peeked out.
“Hello, baby,” Khalaf whispered. “Nice to meet you.”
He named the duckling Spike.
Khalaf quickly stocked up on proper food and played duck calls to help Spike adjust. But as Spike grew stronger each day, Khalaf realized he couldn’t give him everything he needed to thrive. Ducks require specialized care to prepare them for life in the wild.
“There’s only so much I can do for him,” Khalaf admitted.
So, with love and a little heartbreak, he arranged for Spike to move to a rehabilitation center, where experts could ensure he’d have the best chance at a free life outdoors.
Letting go wasn’t easy, but Khalaf knew it was the right choice.
“We humans are kind of just here to help them along,” he said. “But ultimately, he’s the master of his own destiny.”
Spike may have started life abandoned on the pavement, but thanks to one stranger’s kindness, his story is now full of hope.
To keep up with Spike, follow his rehabber on Instagram.
