A duck who became famous riding shotgun with his truck driving master has taken his last trip.
KARE 11 viewers met Frank back in 2008 when reporter Boyd Huppert introduced us to Joe Mansheim, a veteran duck hunter who adopted the fuzzy duckling after he purchased a hunting dog that steadfastly refused to hunt. Joe raised Frank, and one day the duck just hopped in his delivery truck as Joe was leaving for work.
Frank died on Friday -- his birthday -- after 9 years of riding with his buddy Joe, every single day, visiting construction sites where Joe delivers supplies and creating smiles wherever he went. Joe says Frank hopped out of the truck, took a few steps, and just keeled over. He is buried in Joe's backyard, under a homemade wooden marker spray painted with an RIP.
Joe called Boyd Monday with the news, and said it's been an awfully lonely day. He called Frank the duck the best friend he's ever had.