A Virginia Beach man won the right to keep an emotional support emu. Now, he's running for office.
VIRGINIA BEACH — Nicholas Olenik has battled mental health challenges throughout his life.
As a sometimes anxious child, it took longer for him to process emotions. Four years ago, the 41-year-old fell into a depression when his brother died from a heart attack. The dark days of the pandemic, and his father’s battle with — and later death from — cancer in 2021 only made things worse.
So last year, after a buddy told him about emus and how they can be a great emotional support companion, Olenik decided to give it a try.
That’s right, emus — the large flightless birds from Australia that typically stand about 5-foot-7 and weigh more than 100 pounds.
https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/07/29/a-virginia-beach-man-won-the-right-to-keep-an-emotional-support-emu-now-hes-running-for-office/
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