A dramatic animal-rescue story from 1990 is still inspiring viewers decades later. When an 18-year-old chimp named Jo-Jo slipped into the water surrounding his habitat at the Detroit Zoo, he could barely keep his head above the surface. Panicked after being chased by a dominant male, the 200-pound primate thrashed helplessly while onlookers gasped—and staff warned visitors to stay clear.
Among the crowd was Rick Swope, a 33-year-old truck driver visiting with his wife and three young children. Seeing the fear in Jo-Jo’s eyes, Swope hurdled the railing, dropped into the off-limits enclosure, and waded through the murky moat. Chimpanzees can be up to five times stronger than humans, and several others watched nearby, yet Swope pressed on.
His first attempt failed—the great ape slipped from his grasp and vanished underwater—but Swope resurfaced, grabbed Jo-Jo again, and heaved him onto dry ground. Spectators erupted in cheers as the exhausted chimp lay coughing but alive. Later, Swope recalled a brief moment of connection: “He was looking at me. I think he understood.”
The incident, captured on home video, quickly traveled the globe as an example of split-second courage. Animal-welfare advocates still reference the clip today, pointing out both the dangers faced by captive wildlife and the extraordinary lengths ordinary people will go to help another creature in distress.
