Ebenezer, the donkey will be 32 years old on April 10, 2011, which means he is getting a little past middle age since the life span of a donkey is 30 to 50 years.
Like many donkeys he can be very vocal and developed his own fan club during years at the side of the road welcoming passers-by.
Back in February 2010, Ebenezer was dying. He couldn't eat because of dental problems, could barely walk, and had developed pneumonia from aspirating unchewed food into his lungs.
After his story appeared in The Kansas City Star, contributions totaling more than $10,000 to help make him well poured in.
It seems that since the mid-1980s, Ebenezer had been standing by the road, inviting people traveling 129th Street to pay attention to him through his vocal talents.
Shirley Phillips was one of those people and eventually she asked the Ruskins, who are elderly and have health problems, if she could help out with the donkey. They agreed and Phillips ended up heading his rescue effort that took him to an equine clinic to treat his many ailments.
For weeks before that, she had mixed a specialmash and fed him twice a day so he could eat.
When he was taken to Equine Health Solutions in Raymore in February, he was suffering from white-line disease in all four hooves, and his teeth were tearing into his jaw. His weight was down, and he was depressed, but with careful, loving treatment his health improved, and his spunk came back.
Everyone has been amazed at Ebenezer’s effect on people.
When he was in the clinic, he received over 300 get-well cards, and under the direction of Shirley Phillips and her husband, Randy, a new barn with a cement floor was constructed for his home coming. Some of the materials were donated, but the Phillips were the driving force.
Now, Ebenezer is being fed a special diet of Purina Equine Senior Horse food morning and evening. It is made into a soft mash with water. The carrots he eats are finely grated and wet down so he can easily swallow them.
Earlier in 2011, it was decided that Ebenezer would be a good subject for a calendar. About 100 orders were expected for the calendar but now more than 500 have been ordered.
The extremely vocal Ebenezer is a celebrity in his home town and is described as the unofficial goodwill ambassador in the Grandview, Missouri area.
Calendars can be ordered from Ebenezer's home page, at