Paul McDonald and a friend were walking out of a movie theater 24 years ago when they noticed what they thought was a rock on the ground in front of them. They quickly recognized it was a very small turtle and rushed to assist her.
“She was headed into a very busy parking lot, and I was worried she’d be run over by a car,” McDonald told The Dodo. “We weren’t sure where she came from — there may have been a swampy area way behind the movie theater, but when we looked, we really couldn’t find anything that seemed suitable to relocate her to. I still had my soda cup from the movie I had just seen, and there was a big puddle nearby (it was a rainy day), so I rinsed out the cup and filled it with the rainwater and scooped Colors up.”
PAUL MCDONALD
McDonald’s friend desperately wanted to keep the tiny turtle, but he had recently acquired a pet gerbil, so his mother refused. McDonald was overjoyed with the decision since it allowed him to return home and persuade his own parents to let him have a pet turtle — and thus began the story of a youngster and his best friend, Colors.
Colors was present at every big event in McDonald’s life over the years. They got to watch each other grow up, and neither of them will ever take that for granted.
PAUL MCDONALD
“She is my lifelong companion,” McDonald said. “She’s always been around to cheer me up during the hard times, and she’s truly helped enrich my life with love, companionship, and the wonderful responsibility of caring for a loved one … I smile every time I see her and feel so lucky that we’ve been a part of each other’s lives for so long.”
When McDonald first met Shannon, his now-wife, he instantly told her about Colors. If Shannon hadn’t agreed to a turtle companion, that would have been the end of it, but happily, Shannon couldn’t wait to meet Colors and now loves her as much as her husband does.
PAUL MCDONALD
As the couple planned their wedding, they knew they wanted Colors and Shannon’s rescue dog, Kylie, to be there. They would need someone to look after their daughters for the day while they were getting married, so they contacted Julianne DeChaump of Luxe Dog Nanny to see if she could assist. DeChaump has been a doggie chaperone at over 250 weddings, but she has never watched after a non-dog animal before, so she was overjoyed when she discovered about Colors.
“We’re the first company to chaperone a turtle,” DeChaump told The Dodo. “What a fun thing to know now! We love all animals, so it’s been very exciting to care for Colors on one of the biggest days of her parents’ lives.”
PAUL MCDONALD
DeChaump paid Colors and her sister, Kylie, a visit before the wedding to get to know them and make sure they were completely at ease. Despite having never worked with a turtle before, she instantly fell in love with Colors and couldn’t wait to look after her and assist her be a flower girl at her father’s wedding.
PAUL MCDONALD
People couldn’t get enough of Colors on the wedding day. Everyone loved the concept of her being a part of the wedding and were having a great time getting to know her. Colors is a curious and social turtle, so she was having a good time with all of her parents’ friends while she waited for her big appearance. DeChaump kept an eye on her to make sure she wasn’t becoming overwhelmed, but Colors stayed completely relaxed and delighted to be there.
PAUL MCDONALD
It was finally Colors’ turn to shine. DeChaump carried her into the ceremony, placed her at the top of the aisle, and then stood back to let her do her thing. Colors’ bold selections truly livened up the event, and the aim was to let her determine how she wanted to make her entry.
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“Colors took a couple steps forward, and then turned around,” McDonald said. “However, she showed no fear even when entering the most crowded room she’s ever been in. She didn’t ‘shell up’ at all, and I think her natural curiosity of the live music that was being played caused her to head in the direction of the guitarist rather than walk down the aisle. It also afforded me the opportunity to meet her at the bottom of the aisle so that we could walk up to the front together with me carrying her, which is secretly what I was hoping would happen.”
PAUL MCDONALD
Every single person applauded and roared with laughter as soon as Colors entered the room, so she could have done anything and the crowd would have been happy. The couple didn’t advertise Colors’ involvement in the wedding, but most of the attendees had already met her and were familiar with her tale, so it wasn’t a surprise. Colors had always been important to Paul, and everyone enjoyed seeing her be present to welcome Shannon into the family.
PAUL MCDONALD
Colors was passed back to DeChaump after walking down the aisle with her father, who afterwards made sure she arrived home safely. Even though she and Kylie were not present at the reception, the couple made sure to include them in small ways, such as naming specialty cocktails after them and putting their faces on playing cards that guests received. Colors and Kylie are extremely important to their parents, as everyone who attended the wedding witnessed.
PAUL MCDONALD
It’s possible that Colors was the first-ever turtle flower girl, and she and her parents are so thrilled she was able to snatch that title. She and her dad have been best friends for 24 years now, and while he probably never imagined they’d be together for 24 years and counting, he wouldn’t have it any other way. His wedding day wouldn’t have been complete without her by his side.