How far would you go to save someone you love?
It doesn’t matter if they’re human or animal. When it comes to saving a life, species doesn’t make a difference.
A new chimpanzee zoo opened in Detroit, and people flocked to visit with their families. Among them was Rick, who came with his wife and three children for a fun day out. But fun was the last thing they’d experience.
A fight broke out between two chimpanzees, capturing the crowd’s attention. The larger chimp was aggressive and chased the smaller one, Jo-Jo.
In a desperate attempt to escape, Jo-Jo fell into a nearby river. Chimpanzees can’t swim, and Jo-Jo was in real danger of drowning.
Shockingly, both the zoo staff and the crowd stood frozen. No one wanted to risk their life to save Jo-Jo. But Rick couldn’t just watch—he decided to act.
Ignoring the staff’s warnings about how dangerous chimps can be when threatened, Rick ran to the river to save Jo-Jo.
He grabbed Jo-Jo by the arm, but the chimp was so terrified he couldn’t help. Still, Rick managed to pull him safely onto the shore.
“When I finally got him up the bank and held him, he wasn’t moving. He was lifeless. But when I turned him around, he was looking at me, so I knew he was alive,” Rick shared. But the danger wasn’t over. Other chimps began to approach, ready to defend their territory. Rick couldn’t leave the way he came. He sprinted to the edge of the exhibit and climbed out just in time.
Rick later told Desert News, “When I got him up the bank, he wasn’t moving, but he was alive.”
Rick’s heroic actions make him a real-life superhero. But it leaves us with one question: would we have the courage to do the same for someone we love?
