Minnesota Eagle, a Symbol for Wounded Vets, Dies at Age 35
Source: Associated Press
Minnesota Eagle, a Symbol for Wounded Vets, Dies at Age 35
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WABASHA, Minn. May 26, 2016, 9:03 PM ET
A Minnesota eagle that gained fame in national TV appearances and as a symbol for wounded veterans has died at the ripe old age of 35, the National Eagle Center announced Thursday.
The eagle, Harriet, had lived at the center in the southeastern Minnesota city of Wabasha since 2000, a couple years after she suffered severe injuries in a collision with a vehicle that left her unable to fly and unable to return to the wild.
She was a popular attraction at the center, and her regular visits to veterans hospitals landed her image on Minnesota's Support Our Troops license plate. She was easily recognizable thanks to a feather tuft on her head that was a result of her injuries from the 1998 accident. Her visible injuries made her a symbol of hope for wounded warriors, the center said in its announcement.
Harriet also made several national TV appearances, including "The Today Show," ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "The Colbert Report." She also traveled to Washington in 2007 for celebrations of the removal of the eagle from the Endangered Species List.
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