Save The Squirrels!

JP Leemans, Ocala resident and father of established actress Kimberly Leemans, has lived an adventurous life full of daredevil piloting, theater, and saving squirrels. Not necessarily in that order.

By Amanda Clark-Rudolph

Did you know that January 21st is National Squirrel Day? I didn’t until snooping on Ocala resident Jean Pierre Leemans’ Facebook page that’s full of his photography, memes, and... facts about squirrels? If you keep reading, it makes sense since he rescues them at the Animis Foundation in Ocala.

I caught up with JP as he was “feeding and watering the squirrels.” We chatted about his early days in Belgium where he met his wife of 42 years, Josette, a physical therapist who has always supported his love of wildlife; his extensive career as an airline pilot; and his involvement in local theater.

I also spoke with Kimberly, who helped her father rescue squirrels and is a talented actress who first appeared at the Ocala Civic Theater then ventured to New York and LA where she acted in numerous TV shows and movies, including The Walking Dead, Vampire Diaries, and America’s Next Top Model.

In addition to discussing JP’s passions and ongoing fatherly support, our conversation tackled serious topics, such as the heart-wrenching boyhood memory of living during WWII and how JP currently spends his time during the pandemic.

But we started with the squirrels.

LET ME JUST FINISH FEEDING and watering the squirrels,” JP says as I catch him volunteering at the Animis Rescue in Ocala, which spans 87 acres of habitat for not only squirrels but also goats, dogs, horses, and more.

JP began saving squirrels after a hurricane in 2005 trampled Ocala, and he and his daughter, Kimberly, found many neglected baby squirrels on the ground.

“We didn’t know where to go with them,” JP tells me, “but we wanted to save them.”

Inexperienced at first, JP and Kimberly made their share of mistakes, but researched rescuing squirrels and made themselves available. Kimberly even put up a sign on the trees that said, “4111 Squirrel Rescue,” which alluded to their address. It was quite a learning curve. Her art teacher, also a squirrel-saver, told them to hydrate the creatures with Gatorade to raise their electrolytes. Keeping the squirrels warm in shoe boxes, JP and Kimberly eventually got the hang of it.

“From then on,” Kimberly says over the phone, “anytime there was a storm, people knew they could bring a shoebox of squirrels to my dad.”

The good-natured news—Don’t we need more of that these days?—got a hold of the father-daughter rescue story, so local newspapers and TV stations began interviewing the Leemans. Meanwhile, JP and Kimberly found a licensed rehabilitator who safely advised them on how to feed and handle the creatures.

Years later, JP volunteered at Animis to take care of the squirrels, where he still offers his services. “He always has peanuts in his pockets,” Kimberly says with a laugh, “so my mom got used to peanuts in the laundry.”

As previously mentioned, Kimberly, who now resides in Oregon and is pregnant with her first child, is an established actress who received her start at the Ocala Civic Theatre. Years back, Kimberly’s best friend, Lana, who lived across the street, volunteered at the theater and made Kimberly aware of a casting call for a young French speaking girl for South Pacific.

“My dad raised me on old classics,” Kimberly remembers, “and I loved South Pacific.”

Lana encouraged Kimberly to try out, which she did. This is also how JP discovered that the local production required tremendous dedication, and he would have to drive Kimberly to the theater for 11-plus weeks of rehearsals and shows.

“My dad has this gorgeous voice— he should have been a [professional] actor in a different life,” Kimberly says. “He’s the life of the party who comes alive on stage in front of the audience, whether it’s for his friends, the theater, or the squirrels.”

Since then, JP has been a loyal patron of the Ocala Civic Theatre and even volunteers to take photos of many of their performances. And although JP hasn’t landed another lead, he’s appeared in numerous plays, including The Man of La Mancha, Annie, The Pirates of Penzance, Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Les Misérables, to name a few. He was going to audition for more plays, but due to COVID-19, they put those performances on hold.

We then shifted to JP’s early life and piloting career. Born in Belgium in 1936, he remembers living as a young boy during World War II. JP told me about an old childhood friend’s mother, Anne Brusselmann, who had helped 180 pilots shot down over Europe escape the Nazis. JP remembered playing with his friend at Brusselmann’s home when German soldiers abruptly arrived with machine guns. At that time, JP and his playmate were told to stay put in a bedroom. Fortunately, the Germans found nothing and left.

It was not until 50 years later, at Brusselmann’s daughter’s book reading of Rendez-Vous au 127, that Jean discovered two pilots had been hiding undiscovered under the bed in the same room JP and his friend occupied.

A pilot himself, JP later worked for Cessna Aircraft Company as a sales manager for Europe and North Africa, where he flew in air shows every weekend. He tried to skim past this detail, which I found terrifying and incredibly brave.

“So,” I ask, “you did acrobatic flights every weekend?”

“Oh, sure,” he answers, like this was nothing extraordinary. “These airshows were great publicity and sold planes.” Unfortunately, the company went “belly up,” leading JP to a job at Southern Air Transport as a pilot, flying all over the world on relief flights and participating in Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

“Doing everything you don’t talk about,” he emphasizes.

The new career led him and Josette to Miami and later to Ocala, since he could be based almost anywhere.

These days JP enjoys his retirement tending to the squirrels, volunteering for boat patrol on the Silver River, and photographing and acting in the theater. He’s a fan of nature, parks, and springs.

“What’s not to like?” he says after I asked him how he likes Ocala.

JP’s endearing optimism and frankness resonated through our conversation, even when we ended by briefly talking about the pandemic. “How has it affected your life?” I ask curiously. “I cannot complain,” he answers without hesitation, then explains that he only sees people when he sports his mask at the grocery store. “These days, my time is spent on the refuge and the river. I’m lucky.”