84-year-old veteran donated 207-acre llama ranch; now it is a sanctuary
Al Ellis, an 84-year-old Navy veteran, has donated his 207-acre llama ranch in Wyoming to create a sanctuary for veterans and first responders. The site, now called Boulder Crest Wyoming, aims to provide a space for healing and reconnecting after trauma.
Why it matters
This story showcases the positive impact of private land donation and veteran-led initiatives in addressing mental health and trauma recovery.
Al Ellis and his late wife Sondra had spent decades building the biggest vision of their lives, a 207-acre ranch near their two-story log home off US Highway 191 in Boulder, a town of roughly 100 people 12 miles south of Pinedale. Ellis, an 84-year-old Navy veteran and former commercial driver, had turned to become a llama expert later in life.According to him, he has followed what he calls "butterfly moments", seemingly small encounters or decisions that, looking back, changed the direction of his life. On Friday, another such butterfly moment unfolded on his ranch.
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