0:00:00.240,0:00:03.360 I want to tell you a story most unlikely— 0:00:04.016,0:00:08.906 a story of how a fatal crash saved eight lives. 0:00:09.519,0:00:15.937 You see, an accident, however brutal and horrifying, [br]is a miracle of sorts— 0:00:16.570,0:00:21.684 if you're on the way to your execution. 0:00:23.573,0:00:26.125 Meet the Liber8ed. 0:00:27.244,0:00:31.650 Part One of this documentary chronicled the accident that granted these eight cows 0:00:31.731,0:00:32.857 bound for slaughter 0:00:32.857,0:00:34.442 a chance at life, 0:00:34.442,0:00:35.974 and their subsequent rescue. 0:00:36.438,0:00:43.334 Now, in Part Two, you'll get to meet these survivors—[br]each an individual in their own right. 0:00:44.880,0:00:48.728 Iowa Farm Sanctuary co-founder Shawn has been [br]with the boys 0:00:48.728,0:00:51.883 ever since that day we finally found them, 0:00:51.883,0:00:53.601 shaken and terrified 0:00:53.601,0:00:56.268 and brought them to their forever home. 0:00:56.423,0:00:58.080 So I thought it was only fitting 0:00:58.080,0:01:01.270 to have her narrate their stories. 0:01:02.600,0:01:04.760 Emily: Meet Max 0:01:04.760,0:01:10.320 Shawn: Of all the survivors, Max had the most [br]blatantly obvious injuries—bleeding from his nose, 0:01:10.320,0:01:14.400 mouth, and right eye. Because of this, [br]he was the first to go to the hospital, 0:01:14.400,0:01:17.048 making the two hour journey the day [br]after the accident. 0:01:17.048,0:01:19.040 Given his painfully visible wounds, 0:01:19.040,0:01:21.975 and certain there was additional internal [br]trauma, 0:01:21.975,0:01:23.744 we were not optimistic about Max's future. 0:01:23.744,0:01:28.880 The swelling around his eye was so [br]intense that the doctors were unable to perform 0:01:28.880,0:01:31.743 scans until a few days after his arrival at [br]the clinic, 0:01:31.743,0:01:33.440 when it had gone down enough. 0:01:33.440,0:01:38.240 The scans revealed that Max sustained multiple [br]fractures to his jaw and orbital bones 0:01:38.240,0:01:42.131 but due to his critical condition, he was not a candidate for surgery. 0:01:42.131,0:01:46.806 Dehydrated and unable to eat, [br]given the immense pain of his broken jaw, 0:01:46.806,0:01:49.873 [br]Max still remained trusting and gentle, 0:01:49.873,0:01:52.453 quickly endearing himself with the veterinary staff, 0:01:52.453,0:01:54.453 who said he was like a really, really big dog. 0:01:54.960,0:01:58.080 After a few weeks, Max was cleared to come home 0:01:58.080,0:02:00.640 as long as we as we were able to[br]administer his eye and pain medications. 0:02:01.520,0:02:03.632 Due to the trauma he endured, 0:02:03.632,0:02:05.144 Max's face is paralyzed 0:02:05.144,0:02:07.819 evidenced by his drooping ear and heavy tongue when he eats. 0:02:07.819,0:02:12.080 We do not know what [br]sort of, if any, vision he has in his right eye. 0:02:12.640,0:02:15.747 I gave Max his name after the movie character "Mad [br]Max" 0:02:15.747,0:02:18.926 who was always a survivor of very traumatic experiences. 0:02:18.926,0:02:22.453 The pain and suffering our Max [br]endured is undeniable, 0:02:22.453,0:02:26.382 yet he is the most loving, sweet, [br]trusting, beautiful creature. 0:02:26.504,0:02:29.255 His strength and forgiveness is admirable. 0:02:29.709,0:02:31.368 Emily: Meet Tucker. 0:02:31.368,0:02:33.101 Shawn: You can immediately tell Tucker 0:02:33.101,0:02:35.256 apart from his brothers because [br]of his long, curly hair. 0:02:35.674,0:02:39.269 After the accident, we [br]noticed Tucker seemed to have some 0:02:39.269,0:02:42.320 difficulty eating and some of [br]his teeth were visibly crooked. 0:02:42.320,0:02:44.080 At ISU (Iowa State University's Large [br]Animal Hospital) , the doctors found some 0:02:44.080,0:02:48.000 pretty substantial damage inside Tucker's [br]mouth that would have to heal on its own. 0:02:48.640,0:02:53.360 They informed us that over time, Tucker would [br]likely loose the teeth knocked loose by the crash, 0:02:53.360,0:02:56.880 but that miraculously he'd not [br]sustained any major injuries. 0:02:57.440,0:03:01.803 Tucker was named by Chelsea Wilde, in honor [br]of her family. 0:03:01.803,0:03:04.721 Now home at the Sanctuary, [br]Tucker tends to hang back, 0:03:04.721,0:03:07.636 letting his brothers make sure [br]things are safe before he follows. 0:03:07.760,0:03:11.840 Still, as cautious as he is, Tucker will [br]occasionally take treats from our hands. 0:03:11.840,0:03:17.614 He's an incredibly gentle being—a temperament [br]perfectly complimented by his soft, fluffy coat. 0:03:19.098,0:03:20.737 Emily: Meet Charlie. 0:03:20.737,0:03:24.445 In Part One, Charlie’s brothers [br]protectively shielded him 0:03:24.445,0:03:26.300 upon their arrival at the Sanctuary. 0:03:26.300,0:03:30.211 They knew what wasn’t immediately apparent [br]to us at the time, 0:03:30.333,0:03:34.748 Charlie had sustained the most [br]severe injuries of the group. 0:03:35.000,0:03:39.680 Shawn: Charlie was the only brown cow of the [br]brothers—aptly named by a long time supporter 0:03:39.680,0:03:43.763 and friend of Iowa Farm Sanctuary, who was [br]at the scene of the accident. 0:03:43.763,0:03:47.544 While it was obvious as he exited [br]the trailer the day of the accident 0:03:47.544,0:03:49.600 that Charlie's back leg was injured, 0:03:49.600,0:03:53.399 we would have never guessed that he'd sustained a [br]shattered pelvis; 0:03:53.399,0:03:55.360 a devastating injury for a cow. 0:03:55.360,0:03:58.653 We made the two hour trip to bring Charlie and his [br]brother Bhramena 0:03:58.653,0:04:02.150 to Iowa State University's Large Animal Hospital. 0:04:02.150,0:04:06.320 After X-raying Charlie, the veterinary [br]team informed us that due 0:04:06.320,0:04:12.212 to the nature and extent of his injuries, [br]there was no way to repair his fractures. 0:04:12.960,0:04:16.846 Charlie was the first of the Liber8ed [br]to whom we were forced to say goodbye. 0:04:17.360,0:04:21.440 We were able to find some some solace only [br]in the fact that he was able to experience 0:04:21.440,0:04:25.282 being treated with love and [br]kindness by human beings 0:04:25.282,0:04:26.653 however briefly so, 0:04:26.653,0:04:28.279 before he passed. 0:04:28.645,0:04:30.400 Emily: Meet Bhramena, 0:04:30.400,0:04:32.774 whom I had the honor of naming 0:04:32.774,0:04:37.267 Bhramena is [br]Sanskrit for "by mistake" or "accidentally." 0:04:37.267,0:04:40.800 Shawn: It was perfect because he quite [br]literally came into our lives 0:04:40.800,0:04:42.153 by and due to an accident. 0:04:42.153,0:04:45.282 Like Charlie, Bhramena [br]had obvious injuries to his back legs. 0:04:45.587,0:04:47.363 Both were lacerated down to the bone. 0:04:47.973,0:04:51.103 At ISU hospital, the doctors suspected 0:04:51.103,0:04:53.440 that Bhramena may have had a patch of dead bone 0:04:53.521,0:04:57.920 in one of his legs, caused by [br]an interruption of blood supply from a fracture 0:04:57.920,0:05:02.240 Before they were able to surgically remove the [br]bone, an infection had spread to both legs. 0:05:02.800,0:05:05.528 The ISU team explored every possible option 0:05:05.528,0:05:08.370 to give Bhramena a chance at [br]having any quality of life. 0:05:08.614,0:05:12.630 If only one leg had been injured, [br]there may have had more options, 0:05:12.630,0:05:15.157 but with two legs completely compromised, 0:05:15.157,0:05:19.386 the veterinarians cautioned us [br]to start preparing for the worst. 0:05:19.386,0:05:21.280 Ten days after saying goodbye to Charlie, 0:05:21.280,0:05:25.186 we had to say another tearful [br]farewell to our dear Bhramena. 0:05:25.520,0:05:28.400 We certainly wish we could have [br]known these sweet boys better. 0:05:28.400,0:05:33.772 At the very least, they were able to pass with [br]as much comfort, care and love as possible. 0:05:33.901,0:05:35.834 Emily: Meet Frank 0:05:35.834,0:05:39.361 Shawn: Unlike some of his brothers, Frank's [br]injuries were painfully obvious: 0:05:39.361,0:05:45.440 his tail was completely severed during the accident and his lip was lacerated down to the bone. 0:05:45.440,0:05:48.008 While the wound on what remained of his tail had begun to heal on its own, 0:05:48.008,0:05:51.142 his lip required medical attention at the ISU clinic. 0:05:51.244,0:05:56.285 The doctors drained an abscess on [br]his jaw and assured us that he was healing well. 0:05:56.720,0:06:01.930 Frank was named by my husband Jered—short for the moniker "Frank the Tank" 0:06:01.930,0:06:04.215 Of all his brothers, Frank is [br]certainly the most cautious. 0:06:04.215,0:06:06.720 Even a month and a half after the accident, 0:06:06.720,0:06:11.120 he still wouldn't let us anywhere near him—and [br]who could blame him, given all he'd been through! 0:06:11.920,0:06:15.040 We've respected Frank's boundaries, [br]letting him set his own terms. 0:06:15.600,0:06:18.739 Over time, he began allowing us [br]to come within arm's length 0:06:18.739,0:06:20.739 as long as we had his favorite treats on hand 0:06:20.893,0:06:25.267 and has now graduated to accepting [br]and relishing back rubs. 0:06:25.267,0:06:27.127 Emily: Meet Cooper 0:06:27.127,0:06:32.086 Shawn: Two days after the accident, after putting [br]the other sanctuary residents to bed, 0:06:32.086,0:06:34.839 I went to check on the Liber8ed and thought that I'd found [br]Cooper dead. 0:06:34.839,0:06:37.169 As I got closer, I noticed he was 0:06:37.360,0:06:42.640 still breathing—but it was incredibly labored. His [br]eyes were rolled back and his stomach was bloated. 0:06:42.640,0:06:47.040 I struggled with whether I should let him go [br]peacefully or jostle him enough to make him fight 0:06:47.040,0:06:50.353 I decided to pick his head [br]up and rest it in my lap, 0:06:50.353,0:06:54.475 stroking his neck and comforting him in [br]whatever decision he made. 0:06:54.475,0:06:55.935 He chose to fight. 0:06:55.935,0:07:00.114 He fought for the two hour drive to ISU and for an agonizing month thereafter. 0:07:00.237,0:07:05.600 Initially, Cooper had to have the inside [br]toe of his back left leg amputated, 0:07:05.600,0:07:08.729 and miraculously made it through the procedure. 0:07:09.082,0:07:12.320 But while Cooper's surgical wound was [br]healing well, a large laceration on the 0:07:12.320,0:07:17.985 other toe wasn't responding to antibiotics, and [br]X-rays revealed breakdown in the remaining bone. 0:07:18.240,0:07:23.120 The veterinarians continued to monitor his status, [br]but with Cooper's compromised mobility, the 0:07:23.120,0:07:27.566 bone continued to deteriorate and the infection spread to his joint. 0:07:27.737,0:07:29.046 We were given two options: 0:07:29.200,0:07:33.445 amputate the other toe of his hoof, which would require a prosthetic, 0:07:33.624,0:07:36.141 or perform an operation that[br]had never been done before 0:07:36.141,0:07:40.240 surgically inserting metal rods in [br]Cooper's leg right 0:07:40.240,0:07:45.520 above his ankle and building a cast extending past [br]the bottom of his foot with a prosthetic hoof, 0:07:45.520,0:07:48.880 so that when he walked, he'd be [br]putting weight on rods, not his foot. 0:07:49.440,0:07:52.720 With the doctors' guidance, [br]we chose the second option, 0:07:52.720,0:07:55.655 with amputation remaining a last resort. 0:07:55.655,0:07:58.567 The vets also performed a bone graph to the compromised bone. 0:07:58.567,0:08:03.539 Cooper made it through surgery, and [br]we were hopeful for his recovery. 0:08:03.539,0:08:07.788 Two weeks later, when removing his [br]cast, pus poured out from Coopers leg. 0:08:07.920,0:08:11.040 The vets found an infection where [br]the bone graph was harvested 0:08:11.040,0:08:14.903 and scans showed the deterioration had [br]progressed to other bones in his leg. 0:08:15.000,0:08:18.640 We were told that at this point, [br]his injuries were catastrophic. 0:08:18.904,0:08:21.376 He was in immense pain, despite medication, 0:08:21.376,0:08:25.082 and there was no chance of recouping the damage that had been caused by the infection. 0:08:25.082,0:08:28.847 He was not responding to antibiotics [br]due to an immunity 0:08:28.847,0:08:34.320 built up from all the antibiotics so-called "food animals" are fed throughout their abbreviated lives. 0:08:34.320,0:08:37.355 Cooper suffered through, [br]fought, and endured so much 0:08:37.640,0:08:40.287 even a surgery that no other bovine ever had. 0:08:40.560,0:08:43.920 Yet after all of that, we [br]lost him to an infection. 0:08:43.920,0:08:46.512 An infection that should have been treatable. 0:08:46.705,0:08:50.100 While Cooper escaped his fated [br]slaughter that day on the highway, 0:08:50.567,0:08:54.234 his life was still [br]ultimately taken by our food industry. 0:08:54.714,0:08:56.286 Emily: Meet Django 0:08:56.348,0:08:59.126 Shawn: Decidedly the leader of the group. 0:08:59.126,0:09:01.291 Django is usually found keeping watch [br]over his brothers 0:09:01.291,0:09:05.848 and is always the first to come running for food, water and head rubs when he sees us. 0:09:06.194,0:09:07.596 I call him black beauty. 0:09:07.596,0:09:08.868 He's absolutely gorgeous 0:09:08.868,0:09:12.661 with the deepest eyes, the cutest mop [br]on his head and always a swagger to his step. 0:09:13.656,0:09:18.328 A couple who supports and visits IFS every [br]chance they get, named Django 0:09:18.430,0:09:23.056 after a Quentin Tarantino's movie centering [br]around a freed slave in the American South, 0:09:23.056,0:09:25.218 because Django too is now free 0:09:25.218,0:09:30.090 of the industry that bred, confined, and [br]shipped him and his brother off to their deaths. 0:09:30.314,0:09:31.664 Emily: Meet Rocco 0:09:32.518,0:09:34.234 Shawn: Unlike the rest of his brothers, 0:09:34.234,0:09:39.280 Rocco somehow managed to survive the accident [br]without sustaining any major injuries, and thus 0:09:39.280,0:09:42.679 was the only one of the Liber8ed who never visited [br]the hospital. 0:09:43.269,0:09:47.543 Over a period of a month and a half, Rocco watched his brothers be loaded into our trailer 0:09:47.543,0:09:50.490 and taken away, some never to return. 0:09:50.800,0:09:53.200 Rocco formed a tight bond with his brother Django, 0:09:53.200,0:09:57.600 and while he didn't like it when we took [br]anyone to ISU, the day we loaded his best 0:09:57.600,0:10:02.720 friend into the trailer to join the remaining [br]survivors at the hospital, Rocco began crying 0:10:02.720,0:10:06.960 out so fiercely that we feared he'd take [br]down our fencing trying to get to Django. 0:10:08.000,0:10:13.262 We moved Rocco to a large stall, but [br]upon arriving back home after a few hours 0:10:13.262,0:10:15.334 found that he'd busted his way out. 0:10:16.140,0:10:18.806 When we finally brought Django home five days later, 0:10:18.960,0:10:23.200 Rocco, who'd not been shy in displaying [br]his displeasure with his brothers' absence, 0:10:23.760,0:10:28.720 began skipping and bucking around the pasture [br]in the most beautiful happy-cow dance. 0:10:28.720,0:10:33.243 Rocco—derived from Italian and Germanic elements meaning "rest" 0:10:33.385,0:10:36.270 was named by IFS supporter Kris G, ( aka the Sentient Beast.) 0:10:36.352,0:10:40.080 With his brother's home [br]and Django stepping back into his leadership role, 0:10:40.080,0:10:42.017 Rocco relaxed dramatically. 0:10:42.384,0:10:45.099 He's still learning that some humans can be trusted 0:10:45.200,0:10:48.560 a lesson that would be understandably [br]difficult to accept when all you've 0:10:48.560,0:10:53.035 ever known from our species [br]is fear, pain, and heartbreak. 0:10:53.901,0:10:59.520 Emily: If it wasn't for that accident [br]that day, these boys would have reached 0:10:59.520,0:11:05.548 their intended destination as planned and [br]been killed, bled out and hacked apart. 0:11:06.400,0:11:12.160 This fate is harder for us to stomach once we've [br]learned their names and heard their stories. 0:11:13.360,0:11:22.240 However, it's vital to realize that these eight [br]are no more important than those not so fortunate. 0:11:22.800,0:11:27.840 It is not our acknowledgement of their [br]individuality that gives them value. 0:11:28.480,0:11:33.760 They had value before the crash [br]hurled their bodies into our path. 0:11:34.720,0:11:38.731 They had value before they were given names; 0:11:38.853,0:11:45.109 and the more than 822,000 cows whose trucks [br]made it to a slaughterhouse that day 0:11:45.880,0:11:48.535 They too had value; 0:11:48.867,0:11:51.587 They too had stories. 0:11:52.217,0:11:55.552 They too were individuals. 0:11:58.240,0:12:04.000 To support the life-saving efforts [br]of IFS, visit IowaFarmSanctuary.org 0:12:04.640,0:12:07.920 and to help Bite Size Vegan [br]create more content like this, 0:12:08.480,0:12:15.266 visit BiteSizeVegan.org/Support.