Truck Driver Jumps into Zoo Enclosure to Save Drowning Chimp—And Becomes an Unexpected Hero

Let’s be clear right from the start: we believe wild animals belong in the wild. No matter how well a zoo treats its animals or how much space they’re given, it will never compare to the freedom they deserve in nature.

But sometimes, an extraordinary moment happens—one that reminds us of our shared instinct to help another life in danger. And this story is one of those moments.

Back in 1990 at the Detroit Zoo, a chimpanzee named Jo-Jo found himself in serious trouble. After being chased by a more dominant chimp, Jo-Jo fled and accidentally fell into the deep moat surrounding the enclosure—an area designed to keep chimps away from the visitors, and vice versa.

Chimpanzees may be strong, but they aren’t natural swimmers. As Jo-Jo struggled to stay above water, around ten stunned onlookers watched in horror, helpless to intervene.

But not everyone stayed on the sidelines.

Among the crowd was 33-year-old Rick Swope, a truck driver visiting the zoo with his wife and three children. When he saw the panic in Jo-Jo’s eyes, something clicked. Without hesitation, Rick climbed over the enclosure barrier and dove straight into the water.

Keep in mind, chimpanzees can be incredibly strong—up to five times stronger than the average adult human. Not only that, but Rick was now in a space filled with other chimps, any of whom could’ve reacted aggressively.

Despite the danger, Rick pressed on. He reached for Jo-Jo, but the 200-pound, 18-year-old chimp kept slipping under the surface. At one point, Jo-Jo vanished into the water, and it seemed like the rescue might fail.

But Rick didn’t give up.

On a second attempt, he managed to grab hold of Jo-Jo and drag him to solid ground. The chimp was exhausted and in rough shape—but alive.

“He was looking at me,” Rick told the Chicago Tribune. “I think he knew what was going on.”

Rick Swope didn’t just break the rules that day—he broke through fear and instinctively did what most people wouldn’t dare to: risk his own safety to save another life, even one from a different species.

And in doing so, he reminded all of us what real courage looks like.