—Sorry to hear that. Take care of yourself!

Young soldiers, far away from home and missing their families, discover a bear cub. That's how the story of Wojtek begins, back in

1942. He was alone in the mountains of Iran; nobody knows how he got there. 

When the exhausted Polish soldiers came upon Wojtek, they were immediately struck with emotions. They had been away from their loved ones for a long time. They needed something to pick their spirits up. So, they nursed the baby bear with milk from a bottle and named him Wojtek, which means: a warrior to whom fighting brings joy. 

Wojtek was officially adopted into the army. He traveled with the army to the Middle East, providing comradery and entertainment. He would wrestle with the men, chase after oranges they cast for him and follow them about like a puppy. He became their connection to humanity in a time when the light of peace seemed so far away. And, like a child, he was also playful. In the desert heat, he learned how to break into the showers and turn on the water. He could also be seen pulling trunks of empty gun shells with the men or standing at attention in formation. Wojtek was also the chief frightener of new members: He would literally bear hug them and hold them upside down for a good laugh. 

Getting through the hardship of war takes something extraordinary, something unexpectedly dangerous to preserve your mental state. That's what Wojtek did for the men who had been so long in the fog and uncertainty of World War II. A playful bear became the symbol of strength and adaptability. Thankfully, wars ended but Wojtek was not forgotten. He was shipped with a group of men to a farm in Scotland, which was a fitting place to retire for a bear with so much military experience. Wojtek was a local celebrity. Stories of him kicking a soccer ball, attending local dances and parties, and enjoying jam and honey are still told today. And to everyone who knew him, Wojtek was the one that made a difficult time a little more bearable.