A Delaware farm owner and animal enthusiast was fatally crushed by one of his own camels in a freak accident last week that’s left his loved ones reeling.

Juan Caride, 65, was “tending to his camel” when the animal fell on him, resulting in his death, a spokesperson for the Delaware State Police confirmed to Delaware Online.

For those close to Caride, who also owned a local pawn shop, the loss is profound.

Torres Hector, whom Caride considered a brother, told Delaware Online that one of the last things Caride said to him was, “I love you.”

Hector recalled responding, “I love you, too, papi.”

The Caride family operates a 50-acre farm in Felton, where they care for 20 horses, nine donkeys, and three camels: Bubbles, Chocolate, and Batman.

Juan’s wife, Toni Caride, had raised the camels since they were calves. In a 2014 interview with Delaware Online, she noted their “really nice personalities,” describing them as “loveable” animals that enjoyed interacting with people.

It was Juan’s idea to start the camel herd. According to his wife, Juan initially bought Batman, the camel who crushed him, as a single companion.

“He was about a week old when we got him, and we felt that he was lonely,” Toni explained. “So, he said I better get a couple more for him. So we went and found two females that were the same age and we got those for him.”

Reflecting on the couple’s character, a tearful Hector described Juan and Toni as “real beautiful” people.

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer kicked off the July Fourth weekend with a sweet treat – for himself and the locals around him.

Meyer has been traveling across the state on a bike tour, moving from Lewes to Georgetown on July 2. On July 3, for his first stop, he chose to visit Marmy’s Creamery in Smyrna and treated others to ice cream on him.

“It was a really nice event for the community,” Smyrna’s Rich Wieland said. “It was just something different to do on a hot day.”

According to Wieland, around 50 people made it out for the event, all eager to welcome the governor. Meyer also began his morning with ice cream on July 2, as Uncle David’s Ice Cream truck of Lewes brought treats for Meyer and about a dozen bike riders who chose to travel with him.

The governor told the Cape Gazette that the bike tour was an opportunity to highlight some of the great pieces of Delaware.

“This is a great opportunity for us to come together for a few days and celebrate the beauty that is our state and our country,” Meyer said.

Meyer will head to Odessa by the end of July 3 and then continue to make his way up north on July 4.

Adam Denn is an intern reporter for Delaware Online/The News Journal. You can reach him at apdenn@delawareonline.com.

A routine chore involving a camel turned fatal for a Delaware man this week. State police say a 65-year-old man died Tuesday evening in Felton after the animal fell onto him while he was tending to it, NBC Philadelphia reports. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The San Diego Zoo says most domesticated camels are dromedaries, which can weigh up to 1,320 pounds when grown, per WBOC. Longtime friend Torres Hector identified the victim to the Delaware News Journal as Juan Caride, who ran a pawn shop in Dover with his wife, Toni Caride.

In 2014, the News Journal reported on the Carides’ farm, home to 20 horses, nine donkeys, and three camels named Batman, Bubbles, and Chocolate. Tori Caride told the newspaper that the camels, which they had raised since they were babies, were her husband’s idea. “My husband just thought it would be neat to get a camel and he bought Batman,” she said. “He was about a week old when we got him and we felt that he was lonely, so he said I better get a couple more for him. So we went and found two females that were the same age and we got those for him.” Michael Lewis at the state Department of Agriculture says camels are treated like regular livestock in Delaware, meaning no special permit is required.