Randy Rudy, a Hawksbill Sea Turtle, was rescued and brought to the Hospital after a shark attack on May 16, 2004. An emergency response boat picked him up during the Marathon Grand Prix Offshore Boat Races. Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, from the television series Emergency Vets on Animal Planet was also in Marathon for a seminar. Randy Rudy and Dr. Fitzgerald met in the hospital and both benefited from the experience. Randy Rudy has healed well after having his right front flipper amputated, and Dr. Fitzgerald said that the unique opportunity to operate on an endangered sea turtle is “one of the greatest honors of my life”.

UPDATE: RR will be monitored closely as the left front flipper is still healing from the shark attack. RR continues to float and does not use his rear flippers. MRI studies will help determine whether or not RR will make a full recovery from his shark attack.