When Maureen and Jerry Castiglione moved into their new home in Lewiston, N.Y., in October 2023, they didn’t expect to make a furry friend right in their backyard. But that’s exactly what happened when Maureen spotted a curious fox wandering by.
Curious herself, the 75-year-old began tossing trail mix out the window while chatting to the animal. Before long, the fox recognized her voice, and returned, night after night.
“My wife loves animals and started leaving food out for him,” Jerry, 73, says. “At first, I didn’t think it was a great idea to feed the wildlife, but she kept at it.”
@theheadmeatballincharge 8pm dinner rezzy 🦊#dadsoftiktok ♬ Little Things – Adrián Berenguer
Now, the Castigliones have a nightly dinner date with the fox they’ve named Robin Hood. Jerry admits he’s fully on board these days: “Whatever we’re having for dinner, we save some for the fox.”
And it’s not just scraps. Robin Hood dines in true Italian style. “Dinners can range from fish, steak, chicken, burgers and hot dogs. We’re Italian, so on Sundays he gets meatballs. And if I’m leaving in a hurry, I’ll put out bread and peanut butter so he has a snack,” Jerry says.
The fox’s trust is what Maureen treasures most. As Jerry explains, “When I asked my wife what she enjoys most, she said, ‘His trust.’ She loves that the fox trusts her voice and has come every day for almost two years.”
What started with trail mix has grown into a tradition that delights not just the couple, but their grandkids and even strangers online. Their daughter Marie shared a clip of Jerry feeding the fox on TikTok, and to everyone’s surprise, it racked up over 770,000 views. Fans commented things like, “Your dad is a real-life Disney princess” and “This fox eats better than me.”
Jerry takes it all in stride, even joking with waitresses when boxing up leftovers. “When we have leftovers, I ask the waitress to box them up, and I always say, ‘Can we have these boxed up? I have a pet fox with a sophisticated palate,’” he laughs. “It started with my wife putting out trail mix, and now it’s part of our family story.”
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