Many people have helped me through my life and given their support to me—sometimes when I might not have deserved it.
I’d like to thank my mother, Patricia Richardson, for putting up with my teenage madness and helping me get through school and university.
Rodney Fuhr gave me opportunities that changed my life, and without him I might never have had the many joyous and inspiring experiences that have shaped my life to date. He and his wife, Ilana, have treated me like a member of their family, and I thank them both.
Thank you to my family and friends for all your support and help, especially Trevor and Corrine.
To Stan, Judy, and the rest of the Schmidt family and the extensions thereof, thanks for always inspiring me to follow my heart and passions.
To the South African Lion Park’s and the Kingdom of the White Lion’s staff and colleagues, thank you for all your support and understanding during the filming of the documentaries and the feature film White Lion. A special thank-you to Ian Melass, Ebrahim Patel, and Ian Fuhr for your continual support and guidance.
To Tony and Nicola Park, thanks for helping me write my story. I know it must have been difficult hearing me waffle on for hours and hours at a time, sometimes politely going without food and drink, when I was on a roll.
I’d also like to thank Michael Flamini and the team at St. Martin’s Press for their interest in my story. You have all been such a pleasure to work with.
Even though they can’t read this, I have to thank the many other friends I’ve made on my journey so far. To my “brothers,” Tau and Napoleon; my “girls,” Meg and Ami; to little Homer; to all my other lions, my hyenas, leopards, and all the other animals and birds who have been a part of my life, I say a humble thank you! I hope that I have enriched your lives as much as you have mine.