Dear Koko,
You are unbelievable.
I know that you are gone now, but saying "you were unbelievable," referring to you in the past tense, would disparage the impact you will continue to have on the world. Therefore, you ARE unbelievable.
I remember seeing you in passing as a video on Facebook, a shared news article, or a brief lesson in my high school psychology classes. I understood then how amazing it was that a western lowland gorilla was able to communicate through sign language. I understand now what that truly means and how you used it to rock several important fields.
We've all heard a cat meow in response to something, experienced a dog bark to protect their owner, or watched a turtle suck into its shell because of stress (me too, turtle). Koko, you were able to put into words how you felt. You showed us that animals experience complex emotions just as humans do.
Being able to communicate these emotions allowed us to see a mind that has been unknown to us for centuries. Your hands and mind spoke for the entire animal kingdom. Your hands and mind taught us how we are not the only complicated beings on the planet.
You displayed higher emotions that we never dreamed possible from a gorilla. Koko, you loved all other animals and people you came across, no matter their species. You loved them deeply even if they were different from you.
I'm sorry to bring it up because I know it always made you sad, but your cat All Ball, life partner Michael and good friend Robin Williams were so important to you. You grieved for them deeply when they passed. Your compassion for others is truly remarkable.
You loved and mourned others with your whole heart. It's beautiful to think that of all the things a gorilla could speak about if they could, they would convey emotions, love, and humor. As humans, we always think that it is our emotional capacity and intelligence that separate us from animals. Wow, we were wrong.
Even with your care and gentleness towards others, you still had a sense of humor. Playing pranks on your friends, tickling each other, and making others laugh was one of your favorite things. You didn't just have a love for people, but you had a love for life.
Koko, you revolutionized so many fields like psychology, communications, and the animal sciences without realizing it. You became an icon and liaison for the animal kingdom, inspiring several other animals to follow in your footsteps. You showed us that the line between humans and animals is much blurrier than we ever imagined.
Along with beautiful people like Robin Williams, you also loved iconic Sinfonian Mister Fred Rogers. You, among many others, watched his uplifting and wholesome show, and you truly loved the soft-spoken man. One day, your dreams came true and you got to meet him. Isn't that lovely?
Koko, I know I never got to meet you in person, and I wish I had. Who you were and what you represented has left a mark on me and the rest of the world.
You are unbelievable. You will be missed.
