Despite being in a fight for his own life, one brave Florida man decided to risk it all when he spotted a bald eagle struggling in the jaws of an alligator.

David Anderson, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy, spotted an alligator attack a bald eagle in a small pond in Parrish, Florida this past month and knew he had to do something to save the bird. Without hesitating, the selfless hero dove into the water and pulled the struggling bird from the deadly animal’s jaws.

“It’s our bald eagle. It’s our treasure,” Anderson said. “It stands for who we are and what we are.” Soon after, Anderson’s friend Justin Matthews, who is a wildlife rescuer, arrived at the pond to help out his friend since the animal appeared to be injured.

“Dave couldn’t just watch a gator kill them emblem of the United States,” Matthews explained. Matthews then rushed the animal to a veterinarian to see how serious the injuries were. Despite Anderson’s heroic rescue, the bald eagle was badly injured and had to be put down.

Matthews and Anderson were crushed that they couldn’t save the animal, but Matthews was able to locate the eagle’s nest and was glad to find his mate still alive. The pair luckily only had one eaglet left in the nest to care for, and Matthews has been checking in on it regularly to make sure it’s safe and growing.

What would you do if you saw a bald eagle about to be eaten by an alligator? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured Image: Justin Matthews]