When Sage LaJoie heads to her local beach every morning on a run, she’s not just taking in the coastal Florida views. Her beach, Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, is “one of the most productive nesting sites for loggerhead sea turtles in the world,”
according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — and she never misses an opportunity to see one.
But the other day, while running along a secluded part of the beach, LaJoie saw something that “didn’t look right” in the distance. When she realized what was going on, her serene morning run instantly took a frantic turn.
“As I got closer, I realized it was the sunlight reflecting off a sea turtle's light-colored belly,” LaJoie said. “I thought to myself, 'Oh my gosh, this can't be real.'”
LaJoie was sadly used to finding sea turtles in dangerous situations along the shore. Just the day before, she helped free a turtle who’d become trapped beneath a boardwalk. But seeing this turtle on her back in the sand, pushed out of the water by a powerful wave, made the woman’s heart sink.
Without skipping a beat, LaJoie called her local Sea Turtle Preservation Society (STPS). The folks at STPS agreed to help but couldn’t get there right away. So, LaJoie reached out to two more rescuers in hopes of receiving more urgent support.
“I really, really wanted someone to get there quickly,” LaJoie said. “Unfortunately, one didn't text back, and one was pretty far away.”
It wasn’t the response she was hoping for, but LaJoie refused to give up on the poor turtle.
“I could never leave a sea turtle alone in that position,” LaJoie said. “They are super vulnerable and can't defend themselves at all.”
Having found two other upside-down turtles in the past, LaJoie immediately knew that she wouldn’t be able to save this stranded girl on her own. Full-grown sea turtles can weigh up to hundreds of pounds, and there was no one nearby to help flip her safely.
Until LaJoie called her husband, who dropped everything and raced to the beach. He arrived 30 minutes later, and the couple quickly began digging her shell out.
“We quickly dug down in the sand to make room for her flippers so they would not get squished during the flip,” LaJoie said.
After a few painstaking minutes, LaJoie and her husband successfully flipped the turtle back onto her belly. Everyone, including the turtle, breathed a deep sigh of relief.
But the rescue mission wasn’t over yet. As soon as they flipped her over, LaJoie and her husband noticed an identifying tag on the turtle’s flipper and wounds on her shell consistent with a boat accident.
STPS was still on the way, and LaJoie hoped they’d be able to assess the turtle before releasing her. But the turtle was eager to return to the ocean despite her injuries, trying desperately to get into the water within seconds of being flipped over.
Still, the couple attempted to keep the turtle on shore as long as possible. But after 20 minutes of rest, just moments before STPS arrived, she scooted across the shore and into the water, swimming away for good.
You can watch her rescue and release here:
By the time STPS workers arrived, the turtle was long out of sight. But LaJoie gave them as much information as possible, and the team agreed to provide any care needed if they encounter her in the future.
“I'm hopeful that she can rest and her wounds will heal,” LaJoie said.
LaJoie hasn’t seen any more turtles on her morning runs since that day, but she’s always on the lookout for her vulnerable neighbors. They’re an important part of her community, and she’ll do anything possible to see them thrive.
“I run on the beach every morning to see our beautiful sea turtles, but also to check and make sure there aren't any that need help,” LaJoie said. “I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to help them survive.”
