Nature Knows: Humanity

16-year-old rescues 3 girls trapped in car and officer from drowning

A teenager from Mississippi is being labeled a hero after he leapt into action to save four people, including a police officer, from drowning.

According to Good Morning America, 16-year-old Corion Evans was on hand to witness a vehicle drive straight into the Pascagoula River in Moss Point, Mississippi. The car began floating about 20 feet from the shore, before quickly starting to sink with its three passengers, all teenage girls, trapped inside.

A statement released by the Moss Point Police Department said: “The driver of that vehicle stated she was following her GPS and did not realize she was going into the water.”

How great is this! 16-year-old Corion Evans jumped into action to save four people when a vehicle drove off a boat launch and into the Pascagoula River! https://t.co/dpn5C0CUVT pic.twitter.com/oX7MEcJlgz
— WLBT 3 On Your Side (@WLBT) July 5, 2022

Fortunately, though, Corion saw the whole thing unfold. He is said to have removed his shoes and shirt before entering the water as the car began to sink.

The brave teenager, a student at Pascagoula High School, told WLOX: “I was just like, ‘I can’t let none of these folks die. They need to get out the water’. “So, I just started getting them. I wasn’t even thinking about nothing else.”

One of Corion’s friends reportedly also entered the river to help the girls get onto the roof of the sinking car. Corion added: “I just started getting them. I wasn’t even thinking about nothing else.”

If you have never been to Mississippi, this story speaks to how special the people are in this place we call home…

Corion Evans - a 16 year old from Pascagoula - and his friend saved three lives AND helped the police officer to safety.

Thanks Corion!https://t.co/nWpefKtLtI
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) July 6, 2022

Moss Point Police Officer Gary Mercer was the first to respond to the scene, but ultimately found himself in trouble when one of the girls he was bringing to shore “began panicking and caused him to go under swallowing some water.”

Luckily, Corion spotted Officer Mercer and was able to rescue him, too. “I turned around. I see the police officer. He’s drowning. He’s going underwater, drowning, saying, ‘Help!'” Corion recalled. “So, I went over there. I went and I grabbed the police officer and I’m like swimming him back until I feel myself I can walk.” The three teenage girls and Officer Mercer were transported to hospital. All are expected to make a full recovery.

Moss Point Chief Brandon Ashley said in a statement: “The police department and I commend Mr. Evans’s bravery and selflessness he displayed by risking his own safety to help people in danger. “If Mr. Evans had not assisted, it could have possibly turned out tragically instead of all occupants rescued safely.”

A city in Mississippi honors 16 year old Corion Evans for saving three people and a police officer from a river accident. https://t.co/V1HFrRephS
— Complex (@Complex) July 7, 2022

On Tuesday, Corion was presented with a certificate of commendation for his heroism by Moss City officials.

The 16-year-old’s proud mother, Marquita Evans, told WLOX: “I’m glad nothing happened to him while he was trying to save other people’s lives. “I was really proud of Corion because he wasn’t just thinking about himself. He was trying to really get all those people out the water.” Corion added that he has been swimming since he was three years old.

“Twenty-five yards out, so it was a lot of swimming. My legs were so tired after,” he said. “Anything could’ve been in that water, though. But I wasn’t thinking about it.”

Thank God that Corion was on hand to help and showed a courage all of us can admire. Thanks to him, these three girls – and indeed Officer Mercer – were saved at the last minute.
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, by Back to Nature

Animals

Tiny blue penguin melts million hearts with sweet ‘goodbye’ to rescuer

Blue penguins may be the smallest of their species but this little guy has a huge heart. Animal rescue can be a thankless job. Few people do it but when they do, they do it with all their hearts.

This blue penguin was rescued from being entangled by plastic netting. He was then turned over to the Kaikoura Wildlife Hospital in Kaikoura, New Zealand, where he was treated for a head wound and severe exhaustion.

When he finally recovered, they helped release him back into the ocean. It seems like the blue penguin developed a connection with his caretakers.

He walked a few feet away before turning back to the person who took care of him. He then looked back at the ocean and took a few more steps toward it.

But before he could reach the waves, he took another look back at his caretaker.

He knew this was goodbye. He was never going to see her again. But when he felt the ocean water touch his feet, he remembered it was where he belonged.

And he ran into the ocean. The waves may seem to stop him but he didn’t care. He pushed himself past the waves and swam to his home.

And besides, blue penguins are used to the rough waves of the New Zealand coastline. Fairy penguins Blue penguins are also called little penguins or fairy penguins.

They are the smallest of the penguin species. Their beaks are black and their eye color varies from silver to blue, grey, or hazel. The undersides of the flippers, torso, chin, and throat are white but can become gray or brown.

And the top of its head, neck, and torso, as well as the outer parts of its flippers, have an indigo-blue color. They’re their own kind of bird.

Blue penguins are both diurnal and nocturnal. They are extremely noisy and have their own individual call.

Their species is verging on becoming endangered because of natural predators and industrial fishing. They’re also the ones who suffer the most from oil spills.

It’s a good thing this little blue penguin was rescued at that time. He probably had a family who depended on him to feed them.

They’re not migratory birds and they tend to stay close to their colony. So when one is missing, the colony is most likely in an uproar.

This blue penguin was so blessed. It was lucky to have been turned over to the care of Kaikoura Wildlife Rescue.

Founded by Wildlife Biologist Sabrina Luecht in 2017, Kaikoura Wildlife Rescue has helped rehabilitate thousands of birds, especially seabirds like blue penguins, yellow-eyed penguins, shags, gulls, petrels, and shearwaters.

She said that the hardest part about wildlife rehabilitation is the injuries and deaths the animals and the caretakers have to deal with.

“Many patients arrive in rehab due to human-induced injuries, rather than natural injuries,” Sabrina said.

“You do your very best for every patient, but some cannot be saved despite treatment and countless hours, which is always saddening. The best aspects of wildlife rehabilitation are saving native birds… Releasing birds back into the wild makes it all worthwhile.”

See this little blue penguin say goodbye to his rescuer in the video below!

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