One afternoon, a man named William Ortiz was driving along a busy highway in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, when something unusual caught his eye.
Lying in the middle of the road was a mysterious animal in distress. It was clear the poor creature was hurt, yet cars continued to speed past without stopping to check what was going on.
Though William couldn’t yet identify the animal, he didn’t hesitate—he pulled over and prepared to assist. With traffic rushing by in both directions, he had to wait for the right moment before he could safely reach the injured animal lying ahead.
When he finally managed to get close, his heart broke at what he found. Without delay, he picked up his phone and contacted someone who could help.
Found In Terrible Condition
In the center of that hectic highway lay a young red-tailed hawk, injured and unable to move due to the serious condition it was in.
All signs suggested the hawk had been struck by a vehicle, and that the driver had heartlessly continued on without stopping. Thankfully, William arrived just in time and quickly got in touch with Raven Ridge Wildlife Center for help.
Since the center was also based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, rescuers arrived quickly, and the hawk was soon brought to safety.
But upon seeing the bird’s condition, they were shocked and deeply saddened by the extent of his injuries.
“I just can’t imagine the pain and agony that bird was in,” wildlife rehabilitator Tracie Young told The Dodo.
According to the RRWC Facebook post, the hawk had both eyes closed, could barely stand, showed signs of torticollis and suffered from serious head trauma. His condition was so severe that rescuers initially doubted whether he would survive.
Yet after 72 hours of intensive care, something amazing happened: the hawk opened his eyes and stood on his own once more. It was clear he was improving, and the team caring for him was overjoyed.
Only hours earlier, his life had been hanging by a thread, and now he was entering the next phase of recovery—one that would prepare him to return to the wild where he belongs.
Beginning His Journey Back To Nature
Once the wildlife center staff determined the hawk was stable, Young arranged for him to continue recovery with an experienced falconer.
“Falconers spend a significant amount of time training their birds to develop a strong bond and establish trust. This involves teaching the bird to respond to commands, such as returning to the glove or perch. They also work on conditioning the bird’s fitness and hunting skills through exercise and simulated hunting sessions.” RRWC wrote in their Facebook post.
This stage would help the hawk regain his strength and instincts to live on his own again. According to The Dodo, his training might continue through spring, at which point he would be released back into nature.
Everything was progressing well, and the hawk seemed to be thriving. RRWC even shared a video showing his improvement before and after treatment, and the difference was easy to see.
Soon, he would be soaring once again.
Thanks to one man’s compassion, a life was saved that day. While many passed by without a second glance, William made the choice to act and helped a helpless creature when it mattered most.
Considering most red-tailed hawks don’t survive their first year, his act of kindness made an even greater impact.