Interview with Curtis Lehman

Emily Lehman

12/9/10

Curtis Grant Lehman

This man happens to be a great elephant trainer at the Wild Animal Park and a loving father of two girls. Curtis was born on October 17, 1961 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Curtis’s parents are Abram Lehman and Leoncia Fagen, and are still living today. Throughout Curtis’s life he lived in Pennsylvania, New York, Hawaii, Guam, and California. He graduated from Mt. Carnell High school and SDSU College. His careers so far was an animal trainer at Sea World and an animal trainer at the Wild Animal Park. Curtis Lehman was married to a great woman, Kellie VanBockern in September 26, 1993 and had two girls named Emily Lehman and Abigail Lehman.

Therefore, Curtis’s childhood was very different compared to ours today. The kids played outdoors until dark. They didn’t have computers or cell phones and they didn’t have to wear bicycle helmets, seat belts, and could ride in the back of a pick-up truck. Curtis says,” Life as a kid was very fun.” If Curtis could change one of his features, he would change his height a little bit taller so he can slam-dunk a basketball!

Likewise, Curtis’s teenage years were one of the most fun years of his life. School was very fun for him because he loved playing sports, hanging out with his friends, and making people laugh everyday. Some of the difficult things during his life were when his parents got divorced after his graduation of high school, paying his own way through college, and starting a new job. Out of all of Curtis’s mistakes, the only thing that he wishes to change is the way he treated his peers during high school. Curtis said,” I wanted to be kinder and more caring.” But besides that, he wouldn’t change anything else because he learned from his mistakes, and his mistakes helped him become a better person.

Lastly, Curtis’s adulthood was very exciting. His accomplishments were the only one from his family to graduate from college, a professional animal trainer for over 25 years, and the gift of two wonderful daughters. “Life as a parent is very rewarding,” Curtis says, “but always worried about safety of the kids because of all the badness in the world.” Yes, being a parent takes lots of responsibility! Curtis wouldn’t want to relive anything again because when life was good he enjoyed it, and when life was tough he got through it. Curtis says,” I picture my future simplifying things so that I have more time for the things that matter and want to do like family and vacations.”

In conclusion, Curtis’s childhood, teenage years, and adulthood were very fun and is a thing that he will always remember. By working with the animals at the zoo, Curtis has learned to love and treat animals, including people, with great care. These events in his life were very special. He says,” Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”