Person finds a swan close to death and adopts it — but they weren't ready for its magical transformation

A heartwarming video shared by u/pevaryl on Reddit showed the miraculous journey of a swan named Rhonda from the edge of death to a full and peaceful recovery. Rhonda was discovered near the corner of a building, collapsed on a tiled footpath, unable to move. She had dragged herself there after being attacked by a dog; her feathers were filthy, her neck hung low, and she was too weak to stand. According to the user, she was severely injured and suffering from damage to her spinal cord.

"We took her in," the rescuer wrote, documenting the whole recovery. But help was not easy to find. "The local vet refused to help her. But I could see in her eyes that she was a fighter. She deserved the chance to fight," the user wrote. At first, Rhonda couldn’t eat or drink, and her neck injury left her unable to lift her head. Her feathers began falling out from stress, and infection spread through her system. For the first two weeks, she had to be tube-fed. Then came hand feeding, antibiotics, and daily pain management. Day by day, inch by inch, Rhonda began to heal. Her progress was slow, but visible, and she regained enough strength to stand again.

Then she began to explore small spaces, and eventually spent time outdoors. All this while, other ducks in the care group stayed close to her. "She knew she had friends. She knew she wasn’t alone," the user wrote. What began as a simple movement grew into comfort. She rediscovered her joy in small moments, like floating in a blue kiddie pool placed inside her pen. Then one day, she stood taller, stronger, and she spread her wings, and finally, the transformation was complete. Rhonda was released into a larger protected flock and joined her new family of ducks, who had been "waiting for her." They welcomed her into the group without hesitation.

As the video ended, she was seen gliding across the pond with her new family. "I cried. She is our fighter," the user said. They also added what probably many of us learned from Rhonda's journey, "If you are ever having a hard day, think of Rhonda and her lessons. Never give up." Rhonda’s transformation echoes findings from a behavioral study on animal caregiving, which described how consistent, patient human support can play a critical role in healing. The study, focused on vicarious resilience in rehabilitation work, found that animals often respond to compassion and persistence, even when the initial prognosis is poor. Caregivers who remain steady and emotionally engaged help animals rebuild trust and recover functionality.

The video resonated with many viewers on Reddit, who praised the care Rhonda received and the strength behind her recovery. u/HockeyMcSimmons wrote, "THIS IS A GREAT EDIT!! YOU DID GOOD OP!! YOU DID EVEN BETTER WITH RHONDA OMG!! The on-text description of (I cried) is so perfect. I can’t imagine how rewarding that must be to see her become one of the flock!!" u/Toasty_Bits commented, "This was so sad, but beautiful! Thank you for giving Rhonda a second chance at life!" u/waterfowlfriend added, "Thank you for caring for Rhonda. Such a tender life, it’s wonderful to see her together with the others." u/duck_fan76 wrote, "Moving story. See, guys, give the ducky a chance. Add a caring human soul, and the ducky can thrive again."