visiting with Huell Howser is made possible through a generous grant from the Ralph M Parsons foundation hello everybody I'm Huell Howser you know in all the years I've been doing stories for television reporting for television there is one story that stands out above all the rest it's a story that literally it's a can experience that happens to a reporter if they're lucky once in their lifetime it happened about fifteen years ago when we spent the day with Charlie Frye thanks he was a retired elephant trainer and his beloved elephant his beloved friend need a so right now we're gonna go back in time fifteen years to that magical day with Charlie Triax and need a make the flights family Charlie his wife madeleine and made a now charlie is an elephant man been fascinated with the mall is live and he got need a back in 1955 when she was still a baby only five years old well it was love at first sight and they travel together all over the world appeared in circuses and parades and lotsa TV shows with famous people like Eve Arden then Billy Barty and Lucille Ball then in the early nineteen seventies Charlie retired and rather than selling his beloved alpha and leaving her with an uncertain fate he donated ur to the San Diego Wild Animal Park that was fifteen years ago what charlie's wife has passed away man his health isn't as good as it used to be some recently he decided he'd go see his old friend we went along and it was a most remarkable and touching moment as the two got together again after 15 years separation now charlie if you call for nato now all she come to you after all these years I've thinks your own well let's see what happens well Miller million up to you wanna come into me somewhere to get you you better come learn lol come on come on hurry up some levity get you out there you better get over here problem learn the Lilith movie the other bit under Shurmur be crippled nuclear can do anything on a couple home from Adam if you know what I admire man all 90 on know you know no alone my goodness alive will come listen to see what did get this thing up in the air come on it up minden other harder well I gotta tell ya our standing there watching this breakin out in goods bombs it was like they hadn't been apart for a day Charlie talk and Anita feed nerd jellybeans and then play guitar into the rain and the two up on going through their routine from years ago come on down more overall re: the other way moon come on over no or an issue a decision now are you comfortable I think you are graduated jelly bean year or you wanna put them here you're too lazy to take 'em I have said I'm on her big put up well hurts a girl close Polet new the jelly bean when an output makes a friend with the person are they your friend for lying as a ruler for member alive if you take a ROM it and take care that friendship what do you think the Alan front really does remember you our memories coming back now with your issue remember mu she didn't she wouldn't she wouldn't work she wouldn't work for somebody that she didn't know word thing like that you go out and try to workers who would do anything for you go she delivers time you open your mouth or whether you know what you're talking about are not and and she sheik until right then whether whether you're an element manner whether you're your for flexion I how strong is just rock Charlie well using pictures become an opinion yeah your own and you pick you up well I don't think I wanna pick me up today manoeuvre I know and pick it up the enemy of alright that's a good your is it easy to get attached to him leave you to get it s your baby yeah strides and then their actions there's so much like a human being that you can help would fall for because the they just religious broadsides the you don't know what you know when it happens really think about it would you couldn't stand to see somebody herder you be ready to killing hmm all luck yeah here hole in your for her my oh my goodness I love that store known what the lid you known her do you think you'll ever see her again I doubt it the way I feel now on the way I have to get around I doubt if I'll make that trip down here again because on a long trip but I did home this afternoon and tonight I think either hit the bed mess for about 24 hours and I kinda doubt if I'll ever see you again me a big kiss in a big kids from 10 a.m. predicate I didn't say I dunno I said it cares do you do you don't want to give it up but you gotta do and you know it Lon Lon get the giver know that I'm you that when a boulder go she really young sir nominal ma'am learn but that doesn't make it any easier not a bit not a bit easier murder feel any better about it line just hope that she's taking care of the rest in real life and I think she will be in a place like this I'm gonna have to go on our where barbara rebound right to me whereby that's a good girl Ramon what a glorious day went to old friends Charlie and need a were reunited spend some time together reliving the good ol days and then said their last goodbyes well there that sector followed well I will never forget that day we spent with Charlie Frye inks and need a actually after that date Charlie and I became good friends we kept in contact with each other over the years and then a couple years after that day Charlie passed away and now fifteen years later we have come back to the San Diego Wild Animal Park to visit need a charlie's beloved need a and there she is right there after 15 years Nina is still going strong right where we last saw our fifteen years ago Jeff come on over here and talk with us a little bit your name is Jeff Anderson Animal Care Manager at the park welcome well you know this is really can a promotional hey I edited version of Rio 23 nader again knowing that the last time ass off her her owner mister franks was whether and what a wonderful moment that was it was a magical moment yeah you've seen the tape I have and that they had a wonderful relationship and I know you guys were friends so this must be no sting for you to come in and see her again tell us how she look were hot I can't tell the difference at all are let's talk just a minute about elephants number one need a in particular she looks like she's in great detail she really is she's won over stalwarts here she's 53 years old that's a had a pretty good age for an Asian Cal and she has been here in the park for 29 years now now are she's Asian she's 53 how long did these elephants live was hard to say it's all averages blitz call about sixty seven years would be a good average for an Asian elephant has she started to slow down at all not really know in or are we going to really encourage her to slow down we gonna retire put it that way you know there they'll get older faster that way so we keeper mentally and physically stimulate a lot I make a life as fun as possible for now betsy is the same exact same robbed area that she was an when we were here with missed frank that's right and she still does the show in here to three times a day and she's she really loves it she seems to enjoy the audience and she wraps role well she's kinda hamster couple a days ago she wouldn't leave the stage she was out here does have a phone everybody so things have stayed the same but neither is still a hail she still have the right and we lower area really miss Anita Soni de su neater still need to ask but I think mister franks and you have have abbreviated that name and just collar need a yea all these guys are gonna need a for years and years and years and she was the beloved needed here now we'll ever now we've moved up closer to need a and this gives us an opportunity to meet the fellow who actually works with her everyday come over here and introduce yourself to everybody your name here so I am mad nice to me today yeah I know boy there she goes he doesn't want me back you know he was that away with mister frank stay there very affectionate animals are play especially she just loves the attention as you can see see once Rd a test wouldn't let now does each elephant have a different personality yes they do so all the time how would you describe her personality you're here we call she's the Bret actually she gets what she wants she doesn't get it cheap throws a tantrum so how would she throw a tantrum also trust so try to ignore your haha where she's gonna try to arm pick up some have a stick and throw it at you so she could get your attention wow you know her truck just brushed up against my mom it's a very arm interesting feel too that rocket yes clear up Kate tell us a little bit about the trunk and how it operates both its last time they better the last ministers over 100,000 muscles in the struggle on in hand and the look bad now she brought up wonderful piece a straw for year the stress is offering a up in the present now return it to give something back absolutely so let's give her something back because when we were here with mister franks he always kept a pocket follow-up jelly bean right that's legend area that is your your daily basis for favorite but right now we're going to be raffles now you switched off from jelly beans now you've you're given her a healthier diet long that she ever get jelly beans anymore well once in a while all sneak in a little bag jellybeans just to hear year old time say right exactly where it goes I think he gave her jelly beans that was what her that's what kept her go on and I mean that's what he paid her off with an jalebi red jelly bean thoroughfare to get all kinds of flavors dear below Wall good shape now there's a lotta air coming out of that truck as an effort they could hold up as much as two down the water in that trunk alone yes quite a bit do they drank out of their truck were some misconceptions about elephants cuz we never really have these kind of conversations with mister franks well that they'd if they did drink with their nose read it you like a straw but it's what they're not taxes pie there now so you can trick with your nose otherwise you're just just got your you sinus area a so eventually it is the bill am suck up the water with your trike get like to Gaza water there then they'll Plata or buy back an amount passed a drink water I am now what does she want now what she'd what she'd she had more more food ocean now she figured out that I mean ignoring her sources try to come up with some kinda bear a way to get your attention yeah now let's talk a little bit about memory fallows come on over here would need a in the background here that day that mister franks was reunited with need a after not saying her for years she came right out ride over to him and did the whole retain like they hadn't been away from each other for a day elephants really have that good a memory you know it we don't really know we don't really know how long animals learn your own and remember things but depending on how well they were trained the others might just come right back up to the surface years and years later and it shows that that Charlie and you had a very special relationship in obviously he'd he trained really well so socio dollars behaviors like it was just yesterday do you think if mister franks came back right now and walked into that ring that he would be able to do the show with her like you're doing it now no yeah he'll come back due up show with their any time she'll never chillin remember everything with tripe frank talk all that would never leave her her knowledge up here well I might over time need to rate a little bit and be replaced by relationship with that here goes to no end is now the guy to working with her every day and this is the relationship that is so important right now yelling in some day some other guy might come along and you know and be the next ed now we've got something from her past this is something that Charlie gave me as a gift after we became friends it's his elephant hawk it was made in 1975 an engraved about Charlie and then he gave it to me in the last years of his life this is something he worked with with need a over the years you don't use these anymore note that there that's very much miss the obsolete really is all positive reinforcement here now you know that all the behaviors are voluntary and now makes miss lee there are rewarded for their efforts dibona he never would have actually heard her with this thing cuz they loved each other will probably not let me show you a bit about this rare yeah I like it said we don't use anymore they are obsolete their train differently now so it's still early and will be encouraged to move away from this anchors are hook instead there and to be encouraged to walk toward something else Sony all days has the charger camera I might get you to walk towards the camera we're hoping i hearing on con yeah come on come on a run a train you differently now else turnover right now let's pretend that you need to reinforce you touch this in order to reinforce so I want you to walk towards the camera used around a one-out mistaken and touch it yeah I good yeah contact yeah good to see the positive you know approach now now record you doing something right as opposed to punishing you for doing something wrong and we were here for the for her show earlier and something interesting has happened the you don't get a.m. Doreen with her anymore there's no actual physical contact anymore that's right we do all our training from the outside an enclosure its busy for our protection you know for for Chinese hamsters such a big animal that the it any time and it could be spooked are startled nigga accidentally step on your foot bring about four thousand pounds in hooch but they're here now how does this work you just basically very gentle but sometimes really grab a runner just hold out there should be scrapped from you and anything else like that wall boy that is a strong truck you can feel him let me do that again that's fine she never gets for older she not actually a one-timer the hello to the pick up love apples here for north and and she ate the whole thing I wall point she's not only a common hours yeah two days later yet passed the whole well there's such majestic animals aren't they really aren't she's a good girl to our now when you say a good girl she really does have can never own personality that's what they all do and she's a very compliant animal she really seems to be eager to please hmm now do you think would you attribute that to her upbringing by mister franks I believe so because over the years they probably been a lot of elephants who were mistreated by their owners well certainly certainly and whether or not her currently on behavioral characteristics are compliance is based on try to Franks you know I training in a relationship me I really don't know but down whatever is the case so she certainly turned out to be good elephant well I'd like to think it's because she was top-tier well I'm you about mister crime you're probably right because I also think that people who work with our pants probably it's almost impossible to work with them and not become attached to them as posture i mean the cash East coach pretty cute and she what is it about time you play cuz they're so big well you know I think it is honestly it's because they're very social animals they're curious about their environment just like we are and they wanna they wanna see what's going on there are so many other animals out there in in the world or a zoological industry you know that they're more timid and you like to stay away but these animals have a natural confidence in curiosity that brings them to people and people like that I like gotten his eyes just me when I'm gonna do next how is she doing look at her she's beaten her truck on the ground what's that all about he's trying to get attention it is China's she wants attention and it worked how else did she try to get attention well as you get here pick up a troubled water and just bought at you if you're not looking at ur that way you have to look at what she does but the idea is to get Aiden or otherwise hold your book that she did that without you ask inner to shopping all cuz beers now your ignore your a hacer when I think attention now now look she's she was she's lookin for the microphone it look at their she's checking it out didn't she right and she does battle this year he did well now you do but to earn it is that the way elephants check brings out with their truck certainly adds that it's there and it's it's there you know most useful appendage this is considered pending an hour when to pet its I'm pumped if you catch it if you want your pet nurture sure she is it centipede sensitive enough for her to feel is in certainly now is the skin very sensitive but she felt those hairs earlier rely on and the others hair Zaveri tackles well so all over their body and you know they they have been a much greater sensation a skinny people feel like they probably would you know the call back in terms they still you know which which means to extend they're they're still very sensitive it seems to me like mister franks was always have inner open her mouth and he would throw the jellybeans n you don't fear that pit all allied isn't that this I just wanna stay clean it regular too close to see if we are slammed up a bad at that the only reason the do you wish you could have met the Olga I only met him was biased but some is very brief their I just says hello and shook his hand I was it yeah old wall she just blew all over my shirt well you may think there was water but it's not but is she a big elephant for an Asian gal yes she is pretty bitches about ninety three hundred pounds so yeah that's pretty bed what's he doing whether now all right now he's just given her body exam his got a parallel to the to the cabling here so we can look at her here's a look at our skin injustice general you know husbandry exam which is so important and good animal care program is to be able to access the animal's entire body and take a look at look at the skin for any change in color texture or condition an intern Raleigh around look at her tail look at the bottom super feed Tom spin around again look at our other side this is all really important stuff in a good elfin program do elephants like to be scratched behind the ear and notice him scratching or just men to go behind the ear sure they like you scratch mine near darkness crash just about anywhere mean again they're they're very tactile animals and I really love attention because there's a social %uh don't know whether I'd be standing that close to her Taylor not have to watch us or do other trunk pic yeah it is this still your can come around had to deal with the has kept watch out for it can we move our own around I i don't wanna be spent on this close to the back side of the aisle alright get around up Taylor tell after her Amir continue to Europe merely to there she goes you know hit me Union yeah you know even weird girl it good home 1 well that's the bottomless pit if there ever was one look at that face up good that you you like that yeah tried truck down hill well thank you very much we have had a wonderful day here at the San Diego Wild Animal Park thank you for sharing need a with all of us again thank you very much we've all learned a little bit more about elephants but more importantly we've all gotten to see need a again and I've gotta tell your I'll need a wannabe really ever knew mister tracks but I guarantee he would be very very happy that she is alive and well and obviously being well taken care up here at her home in San Diego well thank you and thanks for coming out in coming back anytime media is alive and well are and when we left with mister franks laughter fifteen years ago for the last time he reached out and said goodbye and she put her trunk up to say goodbye can she still do that for us certain today yep back about yep Cup up Banadir bother that figure alright and now for what I guess will be the final update to this wonderful story because we have learned that neither the elephants passed away back in 2008 after a very long life of course Charlie Frye X passed away in nineteen eighty man and on one level this is kinda sad ending to this story but on another level I gotta tell you as a reporter a reporter is lucky if once in a lifetime a story like this comes along and I was so fortunate to spend that wonderful day with Charlie Frye X and need a and this story has been preserved it will be able to be shared for generations to come I'm so thankful that I got to meet both Charlie and made a and spend that wonderful day with them and that as a reporter am able to share this story with olive you it was a wonderful wonderful story that will evolve visiting with Huell Howser is made possible through a generous grant from the Ralph M Parsons foundation