Why was a camel on Columbia’s Main Street? Turns out, he’s famous

When Phill Blair came out of his parking garage and onto Main Street, he saw a sight that confused him.

“There was like 100 people out there,” said Blair, co-owner of The Whig, a popular downtown bar. “But I don’t know why they’d have a live camel out there.”

A camel was stationed on Main Street outside the Meridian Building in the 1300 block Wednesday.

A crowd of people gathered to pet and take pictures with the desert-ready animal. A ladder sat next to the camel, presumably for mounting the beast, making for a surreal photo-op in downtown Columbia.

But — why?

The camel goes by Abraham. He likes people and Mountain Dew. He’s the friend of Clifford Fisher, head of the Mounted Unit for Richland County Sheriff’s Department, and Margaret Fisher, Lexington County Coroner.

Abraham’s Main Street appearance was staged as a fundraiser for Children’s Chance, a charity that supports families whose children have cancer. It provides counseling and help with living expenses other non-medical costs. Children’s Chance has supported more than 82 families in 24 months and paid more than $19,000 in electricity bills for families dealing with pediatric cancer, its website says.

“We had a great morning celebrating HUMP DAY with Abraham the Camel and MG&C Real Estate Law Firm!” Children’s Chance posted on social media. “Thank you to everyone that came out to support us!”

Abraham is 22 years old, and his love for Mountain Dew started at an early age — a habit that’s made him famous all over the South Clifford said.

“I used a Mountain Dew bottle to bottle feed him for a year (when he was young),” Clifford Fisher said. “He imprinted on the green bottle. But he does like Mountain Dew. It’s for being a good boy.”

Abraham is also an actor. For more than 18 years, he’s been a star in Christmas time productions about the birth of Jesus at Lexington churches.

“That’s reason I bought him — to help tell the story about the birth of Christ,” Fisher says. “He’s really got his own little following.”

In February, Abraham helped promote Columbia City Ballet’s production of “Cleopatra,” WIS reported.

The noted camel is also something of a public servant and voter motivator. When Margaret Fisher ran for coroner, her husband says, “We used him to help get Margaret elected. He campaigned for her.”

Fisher said if Abraham ran for coroner, he would have to run outside of Lexington County, for Margaret’s sake.

“If he ran for office, he’d win,” Fisher said.

See Abraham chug a Mountain Dew. And again here.