You must see these pictures of a giraffe licking his terminally ill zoo keeper.

Mario Eijs, 54, worked at Rotterdam’s Diergaarde Blijdorp Zoo for 25 years cleaning animal enclosures.

Departing from human company, who failed to understand and appreciate Mario and his mental impairments, he formed an incredibly close relationship with the animals.

Sadly, Mario was recently diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour that resulted in difficulties in walking and speaking, and left him unable to work. As his health deteriorated in a hospital bed, Mario had one final wish. He wanted to say goodbye to both the staff and animals at the zoo he loved so much.

A foundation in the Netherlands called Stichting Ambulance Wens Nederland (translated to Ambulance Wish Foundation) volunteered to transport Mario to the zoo to spend some time with his beloved giraffes.

Here is the beautiful moment when the giraffes saw Mario for the final time and gave him a friendly lick.

Soon after these photos were taken, Mario passed away.

The founder of the Stichting Ambulance Wens Nederland, Kees Veldboer said of the experience, “These animals recognised him, and felt that (things weren’t) going well with him. (It was) a very special moment. You saw him beaming.”

The full video of Mario’s goodbye to his animal friends is here. You can zoom forward to Mario’s incredible moment with the giraffes at 4.47.