Boater Rescues Dolphin Who Broke His Wife's Ankles

A kind family took the time to help save a dolphin - even after he beat them up.

Dirk Frickman and his wife, Chrissie, were boating with their family off the coast of Orange County, California, late last month to celebrate their 18-year wedding anniversary. They were overjoyed when a pod of dolphins began to swim alongside them, escorting them back to the harbor.

Unfortunately, that's when things went wrong. A dolphin unexpectedly leaped out of the water - and right onto the family's boat.

"They were doing 360-degree backflips, in slow motion, right in front of the boat," Frickman told Fox 59. "And then, about the fourth one came up right next to the boat ... it bounced on the railing and then it flipped over backwards into the boat."

The panicked animal accidentally whacked Frickman's daughter and landed on top of his wife, who was screaming in pain as the heavy dolphin broke both her ankles. The dolphin also got scraped on its nose and tail, and its rapid thrashing quickly made the scene look like a veritable bloodbath.

Frickman called Orange County Sheriff's Department Harbor Patrol to escort them back to the harbor. But even in the midst of all the commotion, he didn't forget the poor dolphin.

"I was letting go of the wheel every 30 seconds to a minute and slowing down and pouring water on her," Frickman told the Orange County Register.

Fortunately, when they arrived back at shore, they managed to pull the chairs out of the boat and hoist the dolphin up onto the dock. Its injuries were superficial, and the animal quickly slipped back into the water and swam away.

The dolphin was likely an unweaned yearling who miscalculated a jump, Capt. Dave Anderson, of Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari, told the Orange County Register on Thursday. He added that the dolphin probably returned safely to mom.

Chrissie Frickman got off a bit less easy, but she's fortunately recovering after the unusual ordeal. And Dirk Frickman said that his family learned an important lesson from the unbelievable encounter.

"It's one of those things where it's all so beautiful, but you have to remember it's still kind of wild," he told the outlet.

You can watch the dolphin's release - and see the unbelievable aftermath - below.