fawns

Tiny baby deer, is there anything more wholesome? They're gangly, their speedy, their adorable, and they have the cutest, purest, most heartwarming ability of making friends with other animals. Cats, dogs, bunnies, apparently fawns just like to cuddle and make friends. 

Unlikely animal friendships are some of our favorites. Any story of an animal from one species befriending an animal from another species has something quite special about it. But there's something about fawns being friends with other animals that is even more special still - perhaps it's the apparent innocence, perhaps it's just because baby animals are adorable. 

Regardless, get ready to have your heart flutter because these pictures are just too cute to handle. 

While enjoying a fun day out on the Folsom Lake, Kenny Croyle was with his wife and in-laws when they came across something that didn't look right.  

Croyle told FOX40, "Another boat had their flag up and we didn't really see anybody in the water. So we just slowed down just to be careful. Didn't know exactly what was going on."

The other boat had just rescued a fawn that was struggling to stay afloat in the deep part of the lake, far from shore. 

Croyle continued, "And they yelled at us and let us know there was another one. The mom, the doe, was heading for shore but she was quite a ways away."

That's when Croyle and his family came across the second fawn in the lake. The poor struggling fawn was confused and looking for its mom. Croyle said, "So, I put my life jacket on, jumped in after it and picked it up. As soon as I picked it up, it kind of went limp. It was very relieved I think, very tired."

Unsure if the fawn would survive, they wrapped the scared fawn in a towel and helped it calm down. 

When they got closer to shore, Croyle and his family spotted the mother on the hillside, looking down trying to find her babies. Both boats were able to safely reunite the fawns with their mother. 

Watch the incredible footage of the rescue below! Thank you to Croyle, his family, and the occupants of the other boat!