He got a well-earned round of applause.
Published on July 30, 2026 at 5:36 PM
The other day, while walking along a canal near his home in the Netherlands, Bertus Goudriaan felt called upon to save a life.
In the water, he’d spotted a gull who appeared to be unable to fly. A closer look as she tried in vain to take flight revealed that her legs were hopelessly tangled in a blue plastic bag.
From a distance, lining the shore of the canal, dozens of other people watched. But it was Goudriaan who acted.
He hopped right in.
Thanks to Goudriaan, the bird was saved — and the crowd who’d been watching from afar sounded out their appreciation to see it.
“I got a bite from [the gull], and the people applauded!” Goudriaan later wrote. “I almost got stuck in the water plants myself, making swimming a bit difficult. But anyway, glad I did it.”
Goudriaan wasn’t the only one around who could have helped. He was just the one who did.
“I’d like to mention that this doesn’t feel like a heroic act. For me, it’s just duty,” Goudriaan later wrote. “When humans or animals are in distress, it’s very normal for me to lend a helping hand. This is not my first case, and it certainly won’t be my last when needed!”