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Caught On Video: Long Island Driver Rushes To Save Deer Trapped In School Soccer Net

NORTHPORT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – A driver on Long Island becomes a hero to a deer trapped in a soccer net.

He recorded the rescue because he didn't think anyone would believe what happened.

"Hey bud, hey bud," the truck driver said to the entangled forest dweller.

"Always had a love for animals," Todd Brush told CBS2.

Around 7 a.m. Wednesday morning, Brush was on his way to a job for his excavating company when he came across the animal totally tangled in a soccer net on the fields at Harbour Country Day School in Suffolk County.

"I pretty much went with my instincts."

Those instincts told the Northport man to grab the utility knife from his truck and begin cutting into the net that was wrapped around the antlers.

todd brush
(Credit: Todd Brush)

"When I got close and saw how tangled he was I didn't think it had much time."

A few times during the rescue, the distraught deer frantically thrashes around with so much force it lifted the posts of the goal right off the ground.

"No stay right where you are. No, no!" Brush was recorded saying.

For nearly the entire 12-minute rescue, Brush talked to the animal to keep it calm.

"I was saying you're ok, you're ok… I think it was calming for myself, if I talked it was gonna work out."

It did.

The only thing regrettable about the rescue is that it did leave a big hole in that local soccer net. Brush felt so bad about that he wrote a letter to the school explaining what happened and he offered to pay for a new one.

He already got a message back from the superintendent saying not to worry – somebody had to do what he did.

"It's in my nature to help animals. I'm just glad I was there at the right time."

No doubt the deer would agree.

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