by Casey DiBari

Courtesy of Big Cat Rescue

What is it about this year and (allegedly) coming back to life?

First there was that romance author who allegedly killed herself about two and a half years ago who suddenly resurfaced claiming the whole story was made up, now according to the internet, its Don Lewis. For those who don’t know, Lewis is the previously thought to be dead husband of animal rights activist and Tiger King star, Carole Baskin.

For all those who aren’t entirely sure what’s going on, here’s a very quick TLDR on Baskin and Lewis. Essentially, the two married in 1991 after apparently a ten year long affair, and together would found what is now Big Cat Rescue. The relationship between the two was far from perfect, however, and it would later end when Lewis would go missing in the summer of 1997. An investigation later ensued, searching places such as the couples Tampa based sanctuary and also Costa Rica, where Baskin claimed that Lewis would often go for affairs. However, Lewis was never found, and in 2002 would be declared legally deceased.

The rise of the Netflix documentary ‘Tiger King’ in 2020 would later bring the story back to life (hah), and resurface allegations that Baskin may have actually done something to Lewis, which is why he was never found. However, this was all unproven allegations, to the point of just being fun memes on TikTok, and eventually the story simmered down and disappeared. The answer to what happened to Don Lewis was still left a mystery.

Until today. Allegedly.

According to Cosmopolitan, in an article published today (January 18), Don Lewis is actually alive and well and apparently in Costa Rica. The article, titled “So, it turns out Carole Baskin’s ‘dead’ husband has been found alive and well”, claims that not only is Lewis alive, but this fact was shared a while ago, and nobody noticed.

“It turns out that Baskin made the revelation about her husband during a TV appearance in 2021.” Jade Biggs, who wrote the article, says. Apparently, Baskin went on an interview with ITV back in 2021 and revealed that Homeland Security had reached out to her to tell her that they found Lewis alive and well in Costa Rica.

How, exactly, this wasn’t discovered when authorities first investigated, or even when the topic came back up two years ago, is currently unclear.

Despite the claim from Baskin, Lewis himself has not resurfaced or come to clear up what happened. Neither has Homeland Security.

So… Is this actually the truth?

According to fact checking website Snopes, the claim is currently listed as “Unproven”. They say that TMZ has alleged evidence proving Baskin’s claim, but that its “blurry, but if you zoom in on it, you can see the phrase “Don Lewis is currently alive and well in Costa Rica.” It doesn’t state when the letter was sent.”

So, essentially, unless Don Lewis or Homeland Security decide to step forward tonight and explain whats going on, we probably aren’t going to have an actual definite answer, at least for now.