“Never Stop Missing You” is an original song by Australian singer/songwriter Gemma Shepherd, inspired by the remarkable story of Christian the Lion. Touched by his journey, Gemma wrote this heartfelt tribute and reached out to Ace Bourke, who then connected with the Born Free Foundation. Together, they created this special gift in honor of Christian’s birthday.

A warm thank you to Dame Virginia McKenna, Derek Cattani, the Born Free Foundation, and Ace Bourke for their contributions.

This dedication is in memory of John Rendall (d. 2022), Bill Travers, Tony Fitzjohn, and George Adamson.

One of the most-watched videos in history has been reimagined to celebrate Christian the Lion’s birthday. In the 1960s, Christian was purchased as a cub from the exotic animals section of Harrods in London by two Australian friends, Ace and John. As he grew, they entrusted him to George Adamson, the founder of Born Free, who helped release him into the wild in Africa. A year later, when Ace and John returned, their emotional reunion with Christian captured the world’s heart, becoming an iconic symbol of the enduring connection between humans and animals.