Truck Driver Jumps Into Zoo Enclosure to Save Drowning Chimpanzee
In 1990 at the Detroit Zoo, a chimpanzee named Jo-Jo fell into a moat after being chased by another chimp. As Jo-Jo struggled to stay afloat, bystanders watched helplessly — except for one man.
Rick Swope, a 33-year-old truck driver visiting with his family, saw the distress in the chimp’s eyes and leapt into action.
Despite warning signs and the danger posed by other chimpanzees, Rick jumped into the enclosure, swam through the water, and pulled the 200-pound ape to safety.
Though chimps are much stronger than humans, Jo-Jo didn’t resist.
“He was looking at me,” Rick later said.
“I think he knew I was trying to help.”
Thanks to one man’s courage, Jo-Jo survived — and the moment has since been remembered as a true act of heroism.
