The inspiration for the beloved Shrek character disappears at the age of 30

The real-life model for the beloved character in the original “Shrek” movie has died.

Perry, the donkey who served as the model for the donkey character he voiced Eddie Murphy in the famous animated film, died at the age of 30 after an incurable condition.

“Shrek” was a successful film that grossed over $492 million worldwide, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2021.

Perry died Thursday night after suffering from laminitis, a terribly painful nail disease.

In addition to the excruciating pain he felt from the condition, Perry had a disorder in his left hind leg that made it difficult for him to use it. So he often lifted that leg, adding extra weight to his right leg.

In the notice given Palo Alto OnlinePerry's carer, Jenny Kiratly, said: “For a month he was just standing on three legs and holding one up.”

Many donkey workers at Ball Park, where Perry spent his last days, had tried several methods to ease the pain, she said. However, their efforts did not yield positive results, so they euthanized the beloved donkey.

Kiratli mentioned that Perry's death was peaceful because he was constantly surrounded and had more than a dozen handlers with him at the time of his death.

They shared a photo of his obituary and a statement detailing his life and final days.

The post's caption read: “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved Barron Park donkey, Perry, passed away yesterday at the age of 30. He was a beloved member of our community and we know his passing will touch many people. Memorial plans to be announced soon.”

Many fans commented on the post expressing their sadness at Perry's passing. One person wrote: “We loved seeing Perry so much on our visits to Ball Park. Rest in peace.”

Another fan wrote: “Rest in peace Perry. My brother and I visited and called him every time we visited our grandparents in Palo Alto. Such a kind soul.”

A third person added: “Rest in paradise Perry. You were the sweetest and I will cherish our meetings forever.”

Kiratli said Perry was a fun and playful donkey who enjoyed playfully nibbling the occasional visitor's bottom.

Perry's playful nature and decades of entertaining patrons endeared him to the local community.

In June 2024, Palo Alto Mayor Greer Stone and other dignitaries visited Ball Park to celebrate the late donkey's 30th birthday.

Palo Alto also contributed $10,000 in 2024 to cover Perry's medical bills.

Kiratli also described how Perry became the face of a donkey in “Shrek”. She discovered that one of the film's animators lived near Ball Park.

The animator's wife knew he was working on a donkey character for a new film and directed him to the park's donkey pasture. The animator then brought the team to the park to spend a few hours with Perry, who would no doubt have made a great impression on them.

Perry understood people and was able to lift their spirits and bring them joy.

Karen Holman, former mayor of Palo Alto and longtime champion of the Ballpark's donkeys, shared her experience with Perry.

She told Palo Alto Online, “My particular experience with Perry is that he seemed to understand when you were having a bad day.”

Holman recalled the time Perry ran from his pasture to greet a man standing at the gate. Approaching the man, the donkey buried its head in his chest. Holman later realized the man was one of Perry's handlers.

In the movie Shrek, Donkey was a talking character that Shrek saved from Farquaad's guards. After the rescue, they became friends and went to Duloc together.

Shrek and Donkey experience and overcome several problems, and the latter proved decisive in helping his friend marry the love of his life, Princess Fiona.

Shrek was critically acclaimed and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. It won the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Following the success of the first film, three sequels were released, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, and Shrek Forever After.

In addition, two spin-offs, Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, have been released.