Limpy, the turkey that captured hearts in Reading, has died
"Hopefully we can all just continue to come together ... and do things around town that would make Limpy proud."
The off-beat swagger of Reading’s unofficial mascot is sorely missed.
Tributes, memorials, memories, and condolences have flooded online chatter. His absence now casts a shadow in the dawn of a new year for his legions of loyal fans.
Limpy, the beloved turkey known for his walk caused by a bum leg, has died.
The news broke Jan. 1 over social media, with reports later confirmed by Kristen Lachance, founder of the “Limpy the Town Turkey” Facebook page that boasts over 5,000 members and where Limpy affectionados often tracked his every limping movement.
Lachance said Friday the familiar fowl was found in the Reading Montessori School parking lot.
While there’s no exact account of what happened, Limpy was reportedly seen wandering on West Street among traffic that day — a pastime of sorts for Limpy — and must have been hit by a passing vehicle, she said.
One unidentified man brought Limpy to the parking lot and left to get corn from a store to feed him by the time Lachance arrived, she said.
“You could tell he was not breathing well and he didn’t last long,” Lachance, a Reading resident, told Boston.com. “He died in the parking lot.”
Limpy was brought to Waltham and cremated, she said. His ashes will arrive in about a week in a box inscribed with, “Limpy, our very special town turkey.”
Discussion about a potential memorial service or some sort of commemoration is in its early stages, Lachance said. There’s currently no plan for his ashes.
Limpy became a Reading mainstay just months ago after the bird appeared around town. Wildlife authorities, despite calls from residents with questions about what to do, said it’d be best to leave him alone.
And so a local celebrity was born. Photos and videos flooded Facebook, showing Limpy living everyday life: riding atop mail trucks, blocking traffic, and prancing in the snow.
His cult following and superstar status launched an array of projects, from T-shirts to magnets and ornaments bearing his name and image, according to Lachance. Many were sold to raise money for charity, she said.
Just before Thanksgiving, Lachance was able to give a $936 check to the Reading Food Pantry in Limpy’s honor.
After all, it was easy to rally around Limpy, no matter the cause.
Lachance sees his popularity as a welcome distraction for many — something else to talk about besides politics or the contentious issues of the day.
“I think it really just inspired people to try to get back to being kind to one another and just enjoying the town that we live in,” she said.
Lachance and others hope to keep the charitable spirit of Limpy’s legacy alive in the wake of his passing, she said.
She still has over $1,500 collected that’s slated to go to the food pantry. An online fundraiser created to bolster that effort has already garnered over $700 of a $1,000 goal.
“Limpy had an amazing chirp and wing span,” a post on the fundraising page reads. “His disability did not stop him from chasing cars, grazing on [lawns] and flying high up on wires or on top of the Reading Fire Station on Woburn Street where he would [roost] at night. Limpy was so amazing to watch.”
There’s talk about creating a children’s book about Limpy using art from local students, sales of which could support a wildlife group, according to Lachance. Plans for a fundraiser at Bunratty Tavern are also in the works, she said.
“Hopefully we can all just continue to come together … and do things around town that would make Limpy proud,” Lachance said.
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