Losing someone who is close to us is one of the most difficult experiences that a person is ever going to go through. While most of us have probably been through this type of trauma in the past, it is something that animals are more likely to experience on a regular basis. Think of it this way: their life expectancy tends to be much shorter than our own.

This means that animals are forced to watch their friends and loved ones die more often than most of us ever stopped to realize. While many of us probably do not consider some animals to be empathetic, they can definitely surprise us. Us humans are not alone when it comes to feeling awful about the prospect of laying one of our closest loved ones to rest.

Even wild animals feel the sting that is associated with loss. The raccoon in this story is living proof that these types of losses touch the hearts of animals in the same way that they do humans. The raccoon’s friend had been reduced to roadkill by a driver in the area and he did not want to come to terms with the fact that his pal was gone.

The raccoon was clearly in a deep state of shock. Just imagine how you would feel if you found yourself in the exact same predicament. Having to confront loss on this level is never fun and for this little guy, it was staring him directly in the face. Moments like these remind us that animals have souls as well. They feel everything on the same level that we do.

If you can watch this scene unfold without bursting into tears, you are definitely stronger than we are. Even though this video was taken from a distance, it is easy to tell that the raccoon is crying. It may not look exactly like the human equivalent but we definitely know tears when we see them. These animals are far more intelligent than they are typically given credit for.

Be sure to check out this touching clip and take a moment to pass it along to your closest friends and loved ones. This is one of the most affecting things that we have ever seen. We hope that this raccoon was able to find peace in the wake of his friend’s passing. Rest in peace, little guy.