Rescue in the Storm
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 Alex, a Green species sea turtle, rides out the wrath of a hurricane on a bed of towels in the bathtub at the Turtle Lady House. |
Mary Ann Tous has lived in South Padre Island for more than a decade during which time she has often experienced the strength and fury of hurricanes which roar into the region each year. But the first hurricane of 2010 was to be different. At the end of June, warnings were issued that Tropical Storm Alex was becoming stronger and that it was expected to make landfall on the Gulf coast of Northern Mexico sometime late in the evening of June 30th as a hurricane, bringing with it heavy rains and high winds to South Padre Island. The Turtle Lady House was therefore readied in anticipation of the storm with the windows all covered and it wasn't long before the electricity began to go out as the gusts outside buffeted the walls relentlessly when there was a knock at the door. "There's a turtle that needs help over at Access Four," said the Texas state trooper who stood on the porch. |
"We went to Sea Turtle Inc. but there's no one there so Javier Garza at the police station suggested that we go to the Turtle Lady's house," the trooper continued. Upon hearing these words, Mary Ann's husband Ray didn't hesitate and was soon following the trooper through the pouring rain in the blue SUV that the Tous' use to patrol the beaches for turtle nests. Ray arrived at Access Four to find that another trooper was diligently standing guard to protect the disoriented turtle so that it wouldn't wander into the road. Despite the daunting conditions, Ray brought the turtle safely to Mary Ann who made a temporary home for it in the bathtub. |
 The Turtle Lady House shortly before Hurricane Alex made landfall |
 Mary Ann and Ray use their Blue Blazer to patrol the beaches for turtle nests as well as to rescue turtles during hurricanes |
While Ray was gone with the troopers, Mary Ann had managed to reach Jeff George, the curator at Sea Turtle Inc., who asked if she would be willing to keep the turtle at her home overnight under emergency circumstances and so throughout the night as the storm raged outside, Mary Ann tended to the turtle which she naturally named Alex. Jeff knew that the turtle's best chance to make it through the hurricane would be at the Turtle Lady House and trusted Mary Ann to keep it safe until the storm had passed. Missing a rear flipper, with eyes closed and barely moving, it didn't seem as though Alex was going to survive the night but with Mary Ann's care and constant vigilance, by the time he was taken to Sea Turtle Inc. for observation the following morning, he was active and showing signs of reviving from his ordeal. |
In retrospect, Mary Ann believes that her Aunt Ila was watching over both her and Alex, helping them to weather the storm in the house where sea turtles are always welcome. "Aunt Ila had a hand in all of this for her spirit is still alive," Mary Ann says. "People haven't forgotten her and what she represented. That's evident by how the community, from the Assistant Police Chief to the Texas State troopers, all rallied together in the face of a hurricane, no less, to rescue a single sea turtle." The Turtle Lady Legacy gives a great deal of credit to all of the individuals who helped Alex |
 Mary Ann Tous with Alex |
Photo by Josh Bachman, used with permission of the Valley Morning Star |
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