Real-Life Donkey Who Inspired “Shrek” Character Is Getting Love From His Neighbors

Behind the beloved singing donkey in Shrek is Perry from Palo Alto, California: the real-life model for the character voiced by Eddie Murphy. “When you’re looking at the body and the donkey in Shrek, that’s his body, or it was back in 2001, 1999,” Mike Holland, one of Perry’s volunteer handlers, told CBS News Bay Area, explaining that the lead designer of the film lives in the area and studied Perry during his creative process.
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But while the donkey in the movie was known for his song “I’m All Alone,” Perry is far from it. He lives among several other donkeys in Barron Park, a neighborhood of Palo Alto. Now, over two decades after the film’s debut, Perry is just days away from his 30th birthday — and getting a little help from his friends to deal with mounting medical bills as he ages.
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In addition to a 2016 grant of $15,000, the Barron Park community has generated thousands to support Perry and two of his pals through donations, along with selling merchandise and compost. And recently, the city of Palo Alto also stepped up to match community donations of up to $10,000 in a one-time grant. Mayor Greer Stone said it’s “a small investment with a big return realized in the form of smiles on children’s faces, outdoor education opportunities, and increased well-being for our entire community.”
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​Meet Perry and his donkey friends (and see if you can see the resemblance between him and his DreamWorks counterpart).