MEMPHIS, Tenn. —The woman who rescued four ducklings in downtown Memphis last week was named an Honorary Duck Master at the Peabody Hotel on Tuesday morning.
Lashara Wheeler, who goes by Shara Fennell on Facebook, became “Internet famous” last week after WREG first shared her Facebook video showing her jumping into a storm drain to save ducklings who had fallen in.
Since then the video has been viewed on Facebook more than 2.7 million times and has been reported by national news outlets.
“It means the world to me right now,” Wheeler said before leading the Peabody’s ducks out of the elevator and into the fountain in the hotel lobby.
“If you could be in my shoes and know how I feel in this very moment, I am excited to be here. I don’t take this for granted.”
Wheeler said she had been out with some friends downtown on Memorial Day, and saw a mama duck quacking near a storm drain. She didn’t think much of it.
Nearly two hours later, the duck was still there. Wheeler pulled over and jumped into action with the help of a few other bystanders and a police officer.
Wheeler’s mother, Clara Wheeler, said that “they never knew it would go this viral.”
“It wasn’t a big deal, I guess, that’s because all of her life she has been such an animal lover,” Clara Wheeler said.
Wheeler currently works as a hospital coordinator, but said she is slowly working on her degree to become a veterinarian.
She likes taking care of people and animals and said she frequently takes in strays.