Last November, shortly before Thanksgiving, rescuers from the New York-based NGO Humane Long Island saved a turkey named Kevin from a meat market. Kevin had been in bad shape, so the vendor had willingly given Kevin to the rescuers.

“In Kevin’s case, his entire back was torn up,” Jessica Poutous of J and J Farms Animal Sanctuary told The Dodo. “He had scabs and lacerations running from the base of his neck to the base of his tail.”

After his rescue, Kevin was transferred Poutous’ farm sanctuary in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, where she and her team started nursing Kevin back to health.

“He was missing more feathers than not … making it impossible for him to go outside in the winter weather, even for a few minutes, without freezing,” Poutous said. “He ended up spending several months inside with us while his wounds healed and his plumage grew in.”

As his plumage grew, so did his curiosity. He began exploring the house, zestfully knocking things off of Poutous’ desk while she worked. According to Poutous, Kevin also loved country music, and he would “sing” to his favorite tunes.

But Kevin wasn’t destined to be a house turkey. As soon as he was well enough, Poutous and her team introduced him to the great outdoors.

When Kevin the turkey took his first steps outside, he was “flabbergasted,” Poutous said.

“You could tell he loved the sensation of the warm sun on his face, but the realization there was so much more to life was scary,” Poutous said. “He was afraid to leave the hard surface of the stoop.”

They sanctuary team began to offer Kevin outside outings that lasted about an hour, before taking him back inside so he wouldn’t get overwhelmed.

“Gradually, we upped the time he spent outdoors, eventually leading to his preference to be outside rather than in,” Poutous said.

One thing that helped Kevin was finding a “girlfriend” at the sanctuary — another rescued turkey named BB, who seemed to be a calming presence for Kevin when he was outside.

Now Kevin is a fully outdoor turkey living with the rest of the flock of the sanctuary. Poutous said that most days, you will find Kevin “wandering the farm, dancing for his lady friends, grazing on a variety of grasses and soaking up the sun’s rays.”

“Kevin’s story is so touching, and his outlook on life is just the best,” Poutous said. “He’s happy to be alive, and we are grateful to be able to offer him the opportunity to spend his days here at the sanctuary.”