Dad Comes To The Rescue After His Kids Find A Dragonfly Who Needs Saving

The other day, Steven Cooper was doing some work at home while his two young daughters played on the trampoline in the backyard. Their fun, however, soon gave way to concern.

The kids had noticed someone in distress.

“My eldest daughter, Emery, comes inside and says, ‘There's a dragonfly stuck in the [trampoline] net and you just HAVE to save it!’” Cooper told The Dodo.

Hearing the concern in Emery's voice, Cooper dropped everything to come and help.

Sure enough, there in the safety netting around the trampoline, was a dragonfly whose head had become trapped. He clearly had no way of escaping the predicament on his own.

"My first reaction was actually amazement," Cooper said. "It was definitely one of those 'what are the chances?!' moments."

Freeing the dragonfly without injuring him would require a steady hand, a gentle touch and, of course, a compassionate heart. Thankfully, this dad has all three.

Cooper, with the help of his brother who'd dropped by to visit, carefully worked to set the dragonfly free.

Here's video of that delicate procedure:

"Not gonna lie, I was nervous," Cooper said. But the effort was worth it: "We were so elated when he flew off. It was an exciting moment!"

The dragonfly's life was saved, and hopefully he's learned to avoid such dangers in the future. But either way, a lesson was learned that day — that a big heart goes a long way.

"I wasn't about to let down my daughters," Cooper said. "It's important for me to teach them the value of all life and to always do your best to help those in need."