The late Long Boi’s legacy is also long, stretching back to his first appearances in 2018 at the University of York in England. A hybrid of a mallard duck and an Indian runner duck, Long Boi stuck out among his typical mallard neighbors.
He was already a celebrity to the university’s students and staff, but he became an international sensation when a Reddit post about him went viral, claiming he was the tallest duck ever at 3.5 feet tall. He actually is around two feet tall, which is average for an Indian runner.
Then Long Boi sadly went missing in March 2023… And after two months, it was presumed that he was deceased.
His local and international fans were devastated and a plan to commemorate him with a statue was hatched. £5,000 ($6300 USD) was then raised to cast a life-size bronze statue of Long Boi.
A beautiful memorial was held, including a walk to his favorite spot by the pond. A highlight was a choir singing Chappell Roan’s hit song “Hot to Go,” but the lyrics were replaced with “L-O-N-G-B-O-I; he just runs, he cannot fly!”
Most surreal morning ever. Long Boi sung to the tune of Chappell Roan’s Hot to Go, all while @gregjames lobs mini ducks into the audience. It’s what he would have wanted. #longboi @BBCLookNorth pic.twitter.com/Byoa4yStID
— Cathy Minton (@cathy_booth) September 26, 2024
If you weren’t familiar with this delightful duck, see our original article on Long Boi.