Some heroes wear capes. Shrek the Sheep wore 60 pounds of wool.

On April 28, 2004, New Zealanders tuned in to watch a national spectacle: the shearing of a runaway Merino sheep who had dodged the clippers for six long years. His name was Shrek—a nod to the famous ogre—and he wasn’t just any sheep. He was a fluffy legend in the making.

Merino sheep like Shrek are usually sheared once a year. But Shrek had other plans. He vanished into the rocky caves around Bendigo Station in Otago, evading muster and letting his fleece grow wild. When Shrek was finally found on April 15, 2004, he was nearly unrecognizable. Hidden beneath a matted mountain of wool, he looked more like a mythical creature than a farm animal. His fleece weighed in at a jaw-dropping 27 kilograms—enough to make 20 large men’s suits. Most Merino fleeces weigh about 4.5 kg. Shrek had grown six years’ worth. His resilience in the face of shearing was truly inspiring.

Two weeks after his capture, Shrek was professionally shorn live on national television. The job took 20 minutes. Watching layers of wool peel away from his back was not just a haircut; it was a transformation. It was oddly mesmerizing—and symbolic. It wasn’t just a haircut. It was a reveal.

Shrek’s fame exploded. He met Prime Minister Helen Clark. He toured schools and fundraisers. He even got sheared again—this time on an iceberg—to raise money for children’s charities.

Shrek passed away in 2011 at the age of 16, but his story lived on. He was taxidermied and placed in New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa. His fleece became part of the country’s agricultural lore. A new sheep was even named “Shrekapo” in his honor. His legacy, however, lives on in the hearts of those who were touched by his story.

April 28 wasn’t just the day Shrek lost his fleece. It was the day a humble sheep captured the imagination of a nation. In dodging clippers, he found celebrity. And in shedding wool, he found a legacy.