I'm a taxi driver in the mountains of Colorado. Early on Sunday morning, July 5, 2026, at about 12:30am, I was on the freeway heading west just outside of Vail. Suddenly, a deer jumped in front of my cab, and I hit it broadside. It was thrown about 50 feet in front of my car, and there was significant damage to my car. I pulled to the shoulder of the road. I reported it to the police, who told me to wait. Then, I walked up to the deer carcass, which was intact -- although the animal was dead. I pulled it off the road and laid it out on the shoulder. I then looked at it and felt sorry and started to walk away.

Then, I thought maybe I should say something -- a short prayer. So, I walked back to the deer and said a short prayer. I then bent over and petted the deer on its neck a few times. I went back to my taxi to wait for the police and the tow truck.

Two nights later, I was driving a passenger/coach and one of his college-aged tennis players. I related the story of the deer I hit. All I said was that I had hit a deer and nearly totaled my taxi, and had to go get another one. The tennis coach then asked me "Did you pull the deer off the road?" I said yes. Then --much to my surprise he asked me something totally unexpected: "Did you say a prayer for it?"

I was shocked that he asked me that, because, yes, I said a short prayer for the deer, and I told him. Then, he asked me something else that was totally shocking. He said "What did you say? What was the prayer?" I then did the best I could to relate to him my short prayer -- as I started to tear up.

Never in my wildest dreams would I ever imagine that I would say a prayer for a deer I just hit, but I did for some reason. Never, ever would I expect to tell someone about it, which I did. And not in my wildest dreams would I ever imagine that I would say a prayer for a deer, admit it, and then repeat the prayer to a total stranger. But, at the time I pulled the deer off the road, I knew I had to say something or some sort of 'last rites' for the deer, so whatever passage it had to the heavens would go smoothly. No idea, but I did it, anyway.

Again, in my wildest imagination, I never expected to tell anyone that I had said a prayer for a deer. I was going to keep it to myself.