June 12, 2018

Raccoon scales office tower in Minnesota, Internet cheers it on

This raccoon has seriously stressed out the Internet

By Emily Rolen
PhillyVoice Staff

UPDATE: The raccoon was safely trapped and released early Wednesday. Wildlife Management Services officials in St. Paul, Minn. said the animal is in good condition and eating.

They are expecting to release the raccoon into the wild sometime on Wednesday, but a site has not yet been determined.

What you've all been waiting for... #MissionImpossible #MPRraccoon 🤣 @kare11 @ElleryTV @DPet_KARE11News @timnelson_mpr pic.twitter.com/SZKNem45yf
— Alicia Lewis (@alicialewisKARE) June 13, 2018

Here's the #mprraccoon taking the easy way down, in a UBS Plaza freight elevator. pic.twitter.com/Tj8hDlXWMB
— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018

If you haven't been following #MPRraccoon on Twitter, start watching immediately.

A raccoon started climbing a St. Paul, Minn. office tower Tuesday morning and by Tuesday at 8:45 p.m. it was stranded on the 25th floor and being watched by thousands of Americans online.

It all started out innocently enough.

But then, just like any great Internet phenomena, it spiraled out of control.

The #mprraccoon is the perfect 2018 metaphor. pic.twitter.com/rsgKwyPlHg
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) June 12, 2018

The saga began with the office workers inside the tower. The building just so happens to house MPR News, who promptly put it on social media.

Can confirm #MPRraccoon is still itchy. Got a little visit from @StPaulFireDept too! Cat food awaits it on the roof. pic.twitter.com/WeOTWmbaqz
— Evan Frost (@efrostee) June 12, 2018

My picture from the 13th floor around noon. Hope he makes it down OK! #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/gfVWysn9iO
— Ben (@Johnson88Ben) June 12, 2018

Then people started to get nervous. When was the last time it ate? Was it dehydrated? Did it need a nap?

Me: Hey, I need a refill on my anxiety meds.

Doc: I just filled that, what’s going on?

Me: There’s a raccoon and he’s climbing a building and no one can save him and he hasn’t eaten in a while and I am very concerned.#MPRraccoon https://t.co/1JsVAotN4T
— Alex (@alleycat2007) June 12, 2018

At this point, the raccoon was too high up to turn back.

Around 4 p.m., it decided to take a break.

He is on the ledge on our floor. He seems to be doing well. We’ve been told that the building has live traps on the roof and are trying to get him to go up there. We all just have to keep our fingers crossed.. #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/HY1PkuFKz0
— Paige Donnelly law (@donnelly_law) June 12, 2018

And that's when the livestream started.

This brings us to about 8 p.m. on a Tuesday, when people have started to lose their minds.

"Ah felt lack climbinguh."-Forrest Raccoon #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/DXMggII4gC
— MovieJay (@MovieJay) June 13, 2018

Why are we watching this, you ask?

Maybe it's because the raccoon gives us something to cheer for, or maybe it's helping us all ignore the latest news coming out of the White House. It could just be the ray of hope we needed to help the week go by faster.

We all need to see triumphs of the spirit every now and again.

Either way, we can't look away now.