My guardian angel: Huge Gorilla Protects Tiny Boy After He Falls Into Zoo Exhibit
A little boy fell from a gorilla pit, what happened next was unbelievable!
Thirty years ago, Levan Merritt encountered something that would end up changing his life forever. Last 1986, 5-year-old Levan was knocked unconscious when he fell into a zoo's gorilla enclosure.
Now, after 30 years of the iconic video that made headlines around the world, Levan the boy who fell from the gorilla's pit shared his memories of that significant day. And admitted how excited he is to bring his children back to that place.
It was August 30, 1986, when Levan and his family had taken a trip to Jersey for a family holiday. The family had been looking at the animal exhibits that day, they had looked at the reptile house and the mouse house, everything was going fine, when they decided to look into the great gorilla enclosure.
Levan was from Horsham, West Sussex, and was the second youngest to them 4.
Levan and her siblings where engrossed by the spider monkeys as he remember that he was 'finding it funny as one of them peed on my Dad.'
And so got tired of the monkey, they quickly turned into the gorilla pit. As Levin's dad Stephen lifted his older brother Clinton on his shoulders to get a better look, Levan decided to follow suit by climbing up the wall.
After that, a very terrifying moment happened, Levan slipped and fell 20 feet into the gorilla's enclosure. Snapping his arm and fracturing his skull.
Everyone on the crowd started to scream for help as they watched in horror, as a 7ft tall 18 silver back male gorilla named Jambo reached out and slowly stroked Levan's back as he lay motionless on the ground.
Rather than attacking Levan, Jambo protected him from the other gorillas. When Levan woke up and cry out for help, he started to scare the other gorillas, wherein Jambo started to led the pack back to their shelter.
Ambulanceman Brian Fox jumped down into the enclosure, and then tied himself and Levan with a rope to haul themselves out of the enclosure. They placed Levan onto a stretcher and was taken to the hospital.
It was only the next day, when Levan had and his family watched back the amazing footage.
"The first I saw of the video was in hospital and I remember being incredibly surprised and quite shocked. I obviously couldn't believe what had happened," Levan recalled.
"When Levan slipped into the pen, I started shouting and screaming and I was led away to the zoo cafe, while Stephen stayed put. Luckily they managed to get him out. It was only the next day we saw what had happened. One of the nurses had seen it on breakfast TV and asked us "have you seen this?" knowing that we were the family who had been involved,” his mother Pauline, now 59, said.
“That was the first time I saw it and to be honest I couldn't actually believe what I was seeing.,” she added.
Levin spent six weeks in the hospital, and was invited to the zoo after her recovery and has maintained links with them ever since the incident.
"I am forever thankful to Jambo as obviously it could have gone one or two ways. It was amazing how he protected me in that way," Levan says.
When Jambo died on 1992, Levan was the one who cut the ribbon to celebrate the installment of a bronze statue of Jambo following his death.
 |
| Screenshot from the video |
Thirty years ago, Levan Merritt encountered something that would end up changing his life forever. Last 1986, 5-year-old Levan was knocked unconscious when he fell into a zoo's gorilla enclosure.
Now, after 30 years of the iconic video that made headlines around the world, Levan the boy who fell from the gorilla's pit shared his memories of that significant day. And admitted how excited he is to bring his children back to that place.
It was August 30, 1986, when Levan and his family had taken a trip to Jersey for a family holiday. The family had been looking at the animal exhibits that day, they had looked at the reptile house and the mouse house, everything was going fine, when they decided to look into the great gorilla enclosure.
 |
| Screenshot from the video |
 |
| Screenshot from the video |
Levan and her siblings where engrossed by the spider monkeys as he remember that he was 'finding it funny as one of them peed on my Dad.'
And so got tired of the monkey, they quickly turned into the gorilla pit. As Levin's dad Stephen lifted his older brother Clinton on his shoulders to get a better look, Levan decided to follow suit by climbing up the wall.
After that, a very terrifying moment happened, Levan slipped and fell 20 feet into the gorilla's enclosure. Snapping his arm and fracturing his skull.
Everyone on the crowd started to scream for help as they watched in horror, as a 7ft tall 18 silver back male gorilla named Jambo reached out and slowly stroked Levan's back as he lay motionless on the ground.
Rather than attacking Levan, Jambo protected him from the other gorillas. When Levan woke up and cry out for help, he started to scare the other gorillas, wherein Jambo started to led the pack back to their shelter.
Ambulanceman Brian Fox jumped down into the enclosure, and then tied himself and Levan with a rope to haul themselves out of the enclosure. They placed Levan onto a stretcher and was taken to the hospital.
 |
| Screenshot from the video |
"The first I saw of the video was in hospital and I remember being incredibly surprised and quite shocked. I obviously couldn't believe what had happened," Levan recalled.
"When Levan slipped into the pen, I started shouting and screaming and I was led away to the zoo cafe, while Stephen stayed put. Luckily they managed to get him out. It was only the next day we saw what had happened. One of the nurses had seen it on breakfast TV and asked us "have you seen this?" knowing that we were the family who had been involved,” his mother Pauline, now 59, said.
“That was the first time I saw it and to be honest I couldn't actually believe what I was seeing.,” she added.
Levin spent six weeks in the hospital, and was invited to the zoo after her recovery and has maintained links with them ever since the incident.
"I am forever thankful to Jambo as obviously it could have gone one or two ways. It was amazing how he protected me in that way," Levan says.
When Jambo died on 1992, Levan was the one who cut the ribbon to celebrate the installment of a bronze statue of Jambo following his death.
 |
| Jambo's bronze statue |
The incident made a very big impact to Levin’s life, not only he got close with the Jersey zoo animals, but he also experience dealing with bullies at school who teased him with jibes such as 'Tarzan' and 'gorilla.
Levan who is now 35, is married with his wife, Amanda and has two sons. He wanted to bring her sons to Jersey zoo someday.
Levan who is now 35, is married with his wife, Amanda and has two sons. He wanted to bring her sons to Jersey zoo someday.
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| Levan Merritt on his wedding day with his wife, Amanda |
"I often take them to Tilgate Park in Crawley which has a little zoo, but I would like to take them to Jersey Zoo. I am hoping to take them this year if possible, but if not, the one after," he says.
Watch the video here:
Watch the video here:
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My guardian angel: Huge Gorilla Protects Tiny Boy After He Falls Into Zoo Exhibit
Reviewed by TrendSpot
on
Sunday, February 07, 2016
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Reviewed by TrendSpot
on
Sunday, February 07, 2016
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