07/05/2026
Yesterday, we had been inside the Woodland Park Zoo for less than five minutes when we were told to leave immediately due to an emergency.
With Mykael Ann still serving as a first responder and me being retired from law enforcement, something in me clicked into a familiar place. I did not yet know what was happening, but I understood the feeling of uncertainty, movement, and the effort to read a situation as it unfolded.
I posted what we saw in real time, and that footage ended up being used by KING 5 and KIRO 7. KIRO also interviewed me, Mykael Ann, and Reagan about what happened.
But I want to be very clear about something: the Woodland Park Zoo staff handled the situation exceptionally well. Getting roughly 3,500 people out of the zoo in a timely and organized way is no small thing, and they deserve to be commended for it.
I wanted to post this follow-up because the emergency should not be the only story.
The staff had a hard situation in front of them. Families were trying to understand what was happening. People were tense, confused, and doing their best. Once things settled, what stayed with me was that this was still supposed to be a family memory for us, and for so many others.
So we came back.
Before, something like that might have tainted the whole experience for me. But this time, I wanted to return with my family and experience it the right way.
The animals. The walk. The time together. The reminder that one scary moment does not have to take the whole day from you.
At no time did we feel unsafe. We were also able to recognize and thank some of the staff who had been there yesterday, and tell them directly that they did a great job.
We had a great time, and I will absolutely be back.
