Social media stars Gritty the mascot and Wally the emotional support alligator are officially friends, and they met in the most fitting of ways.
Videos by InspireMore
Gritty, who represents the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, brought Wally out for a meet and greet during a recent matchup between the Hurricanes and the Philadelphia Flyers. For the big introduction, the furry orange creature lifted Wally high above his head for the “Lion King Cam” segment.
Following the debut, Gritty spent some time getting to know the 4-foot-6-inch alligator while adoring fans cheered him on. Then, the mascot sat and petted Wally for a while before the two danced around for the crowd. Gritty also gave Wally a giant smooch—square on the mouth.
Wally became a viral sensation this past September when staff refused to let him into a Philadelphia Phillies game citing a policy that only allows “guide dogs, service animals or service animals in training” into the stadium. Shocked fans saw Wally slithering away from the entrance and stopped to pet and interact with him, which led to some major social media fame.
Wally the Alligator is ‘Like a Little Puppy’
However, the alligator first made news in 2019 when the York Daily Record caught wind of his day job—supporting senior citizens and kids with disabilities. Owner Joie Henney takes Wally to schools and senior centers so he can comfort those in need.
According to Joie, Wally is fully domesticated and acts “like a little puppy dog … He wants to be loved and petted.” While we appreciate the little guy and fully support his plight to bring joy, we’ll take his word for it and enjoy him from afar.
Watch Wally and Gritty surprise fans in the video below.
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