TikTok-Famous Emmanuel the Emu Contracts Bird Flu Amid Florida Outbreak

“My best friend is fighting for his life, and I’m just doing my absolute best not to crumble into a million pieces," his owner wrote on Twitter.

A giant bird who got famous on social media for hamming it up for the camera is now fighting for his life. Emmanuel the emu can barely move after catching avian flu, also known as bird flu.

Owner Taylor Blake tweeted, “My best friend is fighting for his life, and I’m just doing my absolute best not to crumble into a million pieces.”  

She says Emmanuel can’t even stand without a sling. 

Blake says the bird got infected after a flock of wild geese landed on her farm. But many can't believe that she's still kissing and snuggling the sick bird.

“Touching an infected animal that has avian flu is horrifying on so many levels,” someone wrote on Twitter.

Bird flu doesn’t usually infect people, but there have been a few rare cases of humans contracting the illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

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