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Six men saved five trapped manatees on
April 14 at Fanning State Park, Gilchrist County.

Five manatees were trapped when four
large trees had fallen in a heap across Bell Springs Run.

The water level had risen due to
flooding and made it impossible for the manatees to pass through the
blockage, according to Suwannee Riverkeeper Stan Meeks.

Meeks, Doyle Frierson, Matt Frierson,
Michael Perez, Jeremy Purcell and Justin Purcell got to work
dragging the tree tops toward the land using their own equipment.

In the Tri-Counties of the Lower
Suwannee River, rugged individualism is still a way of life for some
of us, said Meeks in an e-mail.

The men say they do not want to be
recognized as heroes because they were just doing their duty.