Lexington’s furry icon, Father Abraham the Camel, passed away on Oct. 7 following surgery for an intestinal blockage. 

Abraham was the only camel resident of Lexington County, according to his owner, Clifford Fisher, adding that he had been a beloved community figure for the past 29 years, making countless appearances, especially during the Christmas season. 

“This has been one of the hardest things in my life,” Fisher said. “He was my buddy.” 

Fisher, who serves on the Lexington County Council, recalls acquiring Abraham as a “God thing.” During his involvement with the live animals used in the former Christmas production, “This Man Called Jesus,” hosted at Lake Murray Baptist Church, he and the planning committee thought that having a live camel would enhance the ministry. Fisher said the chances of finding a camel were “slim to none.” A few weeks later, he received a call that would forever change his life. 

“Someone from Lazy 5 Ranch in North Carolina heard our production was looking for a camel and offered me his newborn baby camel,” Fisher said. “I bought him over the phone and had no idea what I was getting myself into. God saw that He needed a camel for His ministry... He brought him to me. I wasn’t even looking.” 

After “This Man Called Jesus” stopped running, Fisher took over the production in 2016, renaming it “Jesus Is His Name,” now held annually at the South Congaree Arena. 

“Abraham was the star of the show,” he said. “During many Christmas seasons, I would get mail from attendees who came to see our show, and they would tell me that Abraham inspired their faith in Christ. A few people wrote me that if a camel can bow his knee to baby Jesus, they could, too. He was a camel for Christ and led so many to salvation.” 

Over the years, Abraham’s fame and following grew tremendously. Fisher recalled that they were invited to events almost every other week, and during the Christmas season, Abraham was booked every weekend. “Many churches would plan and schedule their events around when we could be there since we had events every week and weekend,” Fisher said. 

Even outside of Christmas, Abraham’s presence was in high demand. He participated in countless community events and parades, bringing smiles everywhere he went. As a retired reserve deputy, Fisher often brought Abraham to the Lexington and Richland counties sheriff’s departments for events. The famous camel was also welcomed at schools, nursing homes, churches and town events. 

“He brought so many smiles and laughs to people,” Fisher said. “I knew he had a fan club, but I really didn't see the gravity of how many people he touched.” 

When running for county council in 2024, Fisher credited his campaign partner, Abraham, for helping him win. “He would stand with me at intersections with signs and wave at people during campaign season,” Fisher said. “We put his face on my campaign signs, and the community loved it.” 

Beyond public appearances, Abraham was also a film star. In 2018, he appeared in a commercial for the final run of the professional ballet, “Cleopatra,” where professional dancer Regina Willoughby was filmed riding on his back in Egyptian-inspired attire outside the South Carolina State House in downtown Columbia. 

“Abraham was only supposed to be featured carrying Regina for a few seconds,” Fisher said. “We drew so much attention while filming that the director called me the next day and said the ratings were off the charts for the camel... they ended up changing the production so Abraham could be featured longer.” 

In 2024, Abraham gave Lexington Mayor Hazel Livingston a stroll through the newly renovated Virginia Hylton Park for a commercial celebrating the park’s reopening. Livingston described Abraham as a “quiet, gentle giant.” 

“Abraham has touched so many lives in the community,” she said. “He and Clifford have brought smiles to generations, and that is something we will always remember.” 

Although a camel may be an unusual pet, the Fishers made Abraham part of their family. 

“When he was a baby, I would let him in our house,” Fisher said. “He was a super curious animal. I would bottle-feed him milk out of a Mountain Dew bottle since that was just what we had that was big enough for him.” 

“It just kind of happened that we discovered Abraham liked Mountain Dew. That’s what my wife drinks,” he added. “One day, I turned around and he was drinking a full bottle of Mountain Dew. He only liked the regular kind, and it had to be room temperature, not cold, not diet. He would often be rewarded with his favorite drink during and after appearances.” 

As the community grieves its beloved camel, the Fisher family mourns a cherished member of their household. 

“It’s humbling that God chose me for Abraham,” Fisher said. “I have been so touched by the outpouring of love we’ve received... I can’t even get on the internet right now. Seeing the beautiful tributes has touched me so deeply.” 

When asked if he had a message for the community, Fisher simply said, “Thank you. Thank you for loving Abraham and for loving us. Thank you, just thank you.” 

When asked whether he would find another camel to continue Abraham’s legacy, Fisher said he is prayerfully unsure. “He was so special, I just don’t know at this time,” he said. “If I am supposed to have one, please pray that God will bring us one that could be even half of the camel Abraham was.”