The goose hatched in 1987 without feet and lived on a farm in Harvard, Nebraska. When Andy was two years old, Gene Fleming from nearby Hastings became aware of the bird's plight. Fleming was an inventor and member of a local charity for disabled children, and he thought he could help. Fleming took care of Andy and his mate, Polly, and moved them to his farm in Hastings.[1] Fleming's granddaughter, Jessica, named him after a girl with whom she got into a fight in junior high school.[2]
Initial failed attempts at providing Andy with more mobility included a skateboard-like prosthesis. Fleming then fitted Andy with specially adapted baby-sized shoes, and he successfully taught the bird to walk with them.[3][4] Subsequently, Andy caught the attention of the media and Nike, which offered a lifetime deal to supply shoes for Andy – the bird wore out a pair of shoes in about one month.[2] At one point, Andy and Gene appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.[2]
Andy became a role model, especially for disabled children.[5][6] With his shoes, Andy was able to walk, swim, and fly; his owners hoped Andy's mobility would give hope to people with disabilities.[1]
Andy disappeared on October 19, 1991, and was found dead the next day in a local park with his head and wings ripped off.[7][8] The community collected US$10,000 (equivalent to $23,638 in 2025) as a reward to apprehend the killer; however, the perpetrator could not be identified.[9][10] According to former Chamber of Commerce president Don Reynolds, police identified the killer but did not reveal their identity to the public as they were "somebody that was not responsible".[9]
