GRANBURY, Texas — A Hood County family finally got the news they were hoping for Thursday morning: Nigel had returned home.
If you don't know the backstory, let's explain.
Nigel, Briana Lafleur's 3-year-old pet kangaroo, went missing Tuesday night. He was outside, enjoying the backyard of his Granbury home, like usual, when noise from the drilling of a nearby water well scared him.
Nigel jumped the backyard fence and was gone.
Lafleur and her family and friends searched through the night and all day Wednesday, hoping to find Nigel. He was spotted by a drone, at one point, but he couldn't be captured.
When we talked to Lafleur on Thursday morning, she was waiting on a marksman with kangaroo experience to arrive and help with the search. The marksman would use thermal imaging to hopefully spot Nigel in the search area, tranquilize him and bring him home safely.
Maybe Nigel caught wind of this.
Because around 7 a.m., just as the sun was rising, he hopped back home, showing up at Lafleur's house. Nigel had a few scrapes and some swelling, and he was plenty hungry after two nights in the cold. But all in all, he was doing OK.
Lafleur has had Nigel since he was only a few weeks old. He's been an indoor pet, causing Lafleur to worry overnight as temperatures dipped into the 30s.
Fortunately, Nigel is back home now, safe and sound in Granbury - and ready to eat.
Here are a few more pictures of Nigel, shared by Lafleur:
