Kentucky Nurse Saves Drunk Raccoon With CPR After Dumpster Mishap

September 5, 2025

A longtime Letcher County nurse just proved her hero skills extend way beyond the hospital — straight into a moonshine-soaked dumpster.

Misty performs CPR on a raccoon / Credit: LEX 18 News

Misty Combs, an RN with 21 years of experience, was at work at the Letcher County Health Department in Whitesburg when she noticed a frantic raccoon darting around the parking lot. Seconds later, she realized why: a couple of baby raccoons had gotten themselves stuck in the dumpster next door.

Not just any dumpster — this one belonged to Kentucky Mist Moonshine, and it was full of fermented peaches.

Yep, these little trash pandas had crashed the wrong party.

Combs’ “mom instinct” kicked in. She grabbed a shovel and scooped out the first raccoon, who ran straight back to mama. The second raccoon wasn’t so lucky — he was passed out, face down in a mix of water and peaches.

“I could feel the water in him, and everybody thought he was gone,” Combs said.

But this nurse wasn’t about to give up. She pulled the little guy out by the tail and started doing CPR — yes, real raccoon CPR. A coworker even caught it on video.

And against all odds… it worked!

The raccoon started breathing again. Combs admitted she was half-expecting the critter to wake up and bite her (rabies is no joke), but luckily, help soon arrived.

Fish and Wildlife officers took the raccoon to a vet, where he got fluids and sobered up. The health department staff fittingly named him Otis Campbell, after the lovable town drunk from The Andy Griffith Show. Once he was back on his feet, Combs got the honor of releasing Otis back into the wild.

From nurse to raccoon lifesaver, Combs summed it up best: “I’ve had some crazy days on the job, but nothing like this.”