MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — Four friends enjoying a day on the water near Jupiter became heroes when they spotted a massive green sea turtle in distress.
Chris DeSousa, Will Savery, Michael Pickett and Tony Anthony were boating in Jupiter Sound when they noticed something wasn't right. A 324-pound adult female sea turtle was struggling in the intracoastal waterway, clearly injured and in need of help.
"We saw the opportunity to save an animal and we took advantage of it," Savery explained.
What followed was an incredible rescue mission captured on video. The group quickly realized this wasn't a one-person job—the turtle was too heavy and badly injured for anyone to handle alone.
"You know when you see a beautiful animal like that struggling it's just—you can't just turn your eye away from it, so I jumped in the water right away," Savery said.
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Working together, the four men carefully tied a rope around the turtle's shell and guided her toward Blowing Rocks Marina. It was exhausting work that required all hands on deck.
"It took a big effort from each of us to pull this thing up," Savery recalled.
Once they got the turtle, which they named Zoey, out of the water, the extent of her injuries became heartbreakingly clear. Her shell was covered in deep cuts, and her head drooped weakly—telltale signs she'd been struck by a boat.
"You could tell she'd probably been fighting for hours out there," Anthony said.
The Loggerhead Marinelife Center responded quickly to the marina, confirming that Zoey had indeed suffered severe injuries from a boat strike. Despite the team's heroic efforts and the marine center's care, Zoey passed away just hours later.
Though the outcome wasn't what anyone hoped for, the four friends have no regrets about their decision to help.
"I think (sea turtles) are a staple of our waters," Savery reflected. "When there's an accident that happens with one, we got to do what we can to save them."
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