Four Friends Rescue 324-Pound Sea Turtle in Jupiter

Four friends on a boating trip near Jupiter, Florida turned their day on the water into an impromptu rescue mission when they spotted a 324-pound sea turtle in distress.

Chris DeSousa, Will Savery, Michael Pickett and Tony Anthony were cruising through Jupiter Sound when they noticed something was terribly wrong. An adult female green sea turtle was struggling in the intracoastal waterway, clearly injured and unable to swim properly.

"We saw the opportunity to save an animal and we took advantage of it," Savery said. Without hesitation, he jumped into the water to help.

The men quickly realized they needed all hands on deck. The massive turtle, later named Zoey, was too heavy and badly hurt for anyone to handle alone.

Working together, the four carefully tied a rope around Zoey's shell and began the exhausting task of guiding her toward Blowing Rocks Marina. The rescue, captured on video, required every bit of strength the group could muster.

"It took a big effort from each of us to pull this thing up," Savery recalled. The team refused to give up, even as the physical challenge tested their limits.

Once they got Zoey to the marina, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center arrived quickly to assess her condition. The deep cuts on her shell and her weakened state confirmed she'd been struck by a boat.

Why This Inspires

The four friends didn't have marine biology training or professional rescue equipment. They just had the instinct to help and the determination to see it through together.

"You know when you see a beautiful animal like that struggling it's just—you can't just turn your eye away from it," Savery explained. His words capture something essential about compassion: it's a choice we make in the moment.

Their story reminds us that heroism often starts with simply refusing to look away. These men could have called it in and kept boating, but they chose to get in the water themselves.

"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."

Their willingness to act shows the best of what's possible when people choose compassion over convenience.