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The story behind Unwritten Courage
This is the story behind "Unwritten Courage" - a drawing born from grief, shared between friends, and offered in hope for elephants still standing after the storm.
Unwritten Courage is a story of quiet bravery...
The kind that shows up in rescue, in healing, in grief, and in love.
It begins with an elephant. But not just one.
In October 2024, devastating floods swept through Northern Thailand, hitting Elephant Nature Park (ENP) — a sanctuary for rescued animals founded by globally respected conservationist Sangduen “Lek” Chailert.
Before arriving at ENP, many elephants endured unimaginable cruelty — torn from the wild, broken by the brutal phajaan (a process of spirit-breaking through isolation, confinement, and abuse), and forced to work in circuses, logging camps, or tourist attractions.
ENP offered them something extraordinary: a second chance at life. Herds are rebuilt. Wounds are tended. Freedom is restored — with patience, kindness, and time.
Elephants at Elephant Nature Park, Thailand
[Photograph used with kind permission from Save Elephant Foundation]
When the floods came, the sanctuary was overwhelmed. Buildings collapsed. Water surged.
And amidst the chaos, several elephants were lost — including Faa Sai.
She had almost reached safety — but turned back when she heard the cries of others.
She chose her herd.
And the waters took her.
To those who knew her, Faa Sai was unforgettable.
She’d been rescued as a traumatised five-year-old after surviving years of circus abuse. She arrived at ENP in 2007, terrified and aggressive. But slowly, with love, she transformed.
She became a gentle presence — a playful spirit known for raiding the elephant kitchen at night, and for nurturing younger elephants as a surrogate mother.
Her name means “clear sky after a storm.” And that’s exactly what she brought to others.
Faa Sai at Elephant Nature Park, Thailand
[Photograph used with kind permission from Save Elephant Foundation]
One of ENP's volunteers, Nicola, had spent time with Faa Sai during a visit to ENP. For Nicola, it was more than a trip — it was a kind of healing.
“My first break away in years,” she wrote, “and much needed respite from caring for my complex special needs daughter.”
From the moment she arrived, the sanctuary left a deep mark.
“Oh just absolute WOW beyond words. The care, compassion and absolute commitment to animals was extremely evident.”
In the presence of giants at Elephant Nature Park, Thailand
[Photograph from Nicola's time volunteering at Elephant Nature Park]
She remembers seeing elephants for the first time, walking free: “In total freedom. We were in awe.” Then another. And another. “Ditto again a zillion times,” she wrote. “And still we were in awe.”
She remembers the vegan breakfasts, watching elephants and their keepers begin their day.“Stumbling, hobbling, walking. Those elephants were now at peace and loving their life.”
But the peace came with weight.
“It was traumatic. Watching weary elephants with severe injuries from humans, walking and resting their legs.”
She saw them receive therapy in the water pool. She stood beneath one as Lek gave a talk, awed by the mutual trust. And she remembers one moment especially clearly — two elephants standing for days beside a mound.
“I learned they were grieving for their friend”
The work was hard: unloading trucks, preparing food, back-breaking poo picking. But it was worth it.
“Everything, including the mosquito bites, was worth every bit of watching those elephants thrive in rescue.”
When the floods hit, Nicola was heartbroken.
She reached out to me — not to ask for help, but simply to share the devastating news.
But I knew I had to do something.
I’d never drawn an elephant before. And to be honest, the idea intimidated me.
The weight of them. The presence. The emotion in their eyes.
I sat down at my drawing board, with photographs from Nicola's time at ENP, and started working.
I held Faa Sai’s story with care as it slowly took shape.
Early stages of creating "Unwritten Courage"
When it was finished, we contacted Save Elephant Foundation (ENP’s parent charity) — who gently told us the elephant I’d drawn wasn’t Faa Sai.
It was Mintra.
Mintra at Elephant Nature Park, Thailand
[Photograph used with kind permission from Save Elephant Foundation]
At first, I didn’t know what to do.
But after sitting with it — and speaking with Nicola — we realised the mix-up was an honest mistake, and in the end, it gave the portrait something even richer.
It was born of Nicola’s grief for Faa Sai. But the face belonged to Mintra — another rescued elephant at ENP.
What started as a tribute to one elephant had become a tribute to two.
One in form. One in spirit.
Both rescued. Both healed. Both connected by a sanctuary that gives animals — and people — the chance to begin again.
Nicola named the portrait "Unwritten Courage."
"Unwritten Courage"
Original Pastel Portrait
The title captures everything:
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Faa Sai’s bravery in life and death.
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Lek’s unshakable commitment to protecting elephants in the face of danger and threats.
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The spirit of the sanctuary.
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The people who show up, consistently and without fanfare, to make a difference.
Even the act of creating the artwork itself — my own small stretch, the tiniest act of courage.
But the story doesn’t end there.
Nicola and I first connected through the Sketch for Survival auction in 2023.
One of my artworks — a cheetah cub titled Unwritten Destiny — was a finalist. Nicola bid for it. She won. She messaged me. We stayed in touch.
That one connection, made through art, is what brought this entire project into being.
And now, we’re using art to give back.
We’re raising funds for Elephant Nature Park through the sale of Unwritten Courage — the original artwork, limited edition prints, and card sets.
All profits will go directly to Save Elephant Foundation, supporting their work at Elephant Nature Park — giving rescued elephants the care and dignity they deserve.
The original will be auctioned in August, closing on World Elephant Day (12 August). Print and card sales will run throughout the summer.
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