Lifeguards at Flagler Beach, Florida, are used to responding to emergencies, but their latest rescue was anything but ordinary.

Over the weekend, during stormy conditions and heavy rainfall, they found themselves paddling into the Atlantic Ocean to save a deer fighting to stay afloat in the surf.

FOX 35 Orlando

Senior lifeguard Chase Hunter led the daring effort, with first-year lifeguard Leo Peters by his side. Peters helped guide the rescue board back to shore through powerful waves, all while staying alert to recent shark sightings in the area. Despite the risks, the rescue was a success.

“We save lives—whether it’s a human life or, in this case, a deer,” Hunter told FOX 35 Orlando.

Peters was caught off guard by the intensity of the situation—especially the sound of the distressed animal. “They yell loud,” he said. “When I got out there, I thought Chase was the one screaming.”

Once the deer was safely out of the water, the lifeguards joined forces with Flagler Beach Fire Rescue to guide the animal across the busy A1A roadway and back toward the forest.

“I was just holding on to the deer as hard as I could,” Hunter recalled. “It’s fighting. It’s heavy. I’m tired. Everybody’s tired. But in my mind, I was telling myself, we’re getting this deer in one way or the other.”

Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Cox praised the team’s efforts, noting that in his 15 years on the job, he had never seen a rescue quite like this.

“We’re extremely proud of them—not only for their concern for public safety, but for the environment as well,” he said.

Wildlife officials confirmed the deer was unharmed and able to walk, making it safe for release back into the wild. How it ended up in the ocean remains a mystery.