When Joel decided to go on a fishing trip with his friends, he had no idea how this decision would change his life.
As he was entering the water, something brushed against his foot. And it wasn't a fish...
Rumors
Some tourists have claimed to have seen some strange sea creatures during the night, but not many people believed them.
It wasn't until Joel told his story that the locals realized how dangerous La Gomera was at night.
He Thought It Was A Fish
When Joel felt something touch his leg, his first thought was, "it could be just a fish or a crab." He couldn't see much because the water was dark and thought it was only his imagination.
Then, something brushed against his other foot. But this time, with more strength.
In Danger
Taking a closer look, the boy realized it wasn't a fish or a crab that was touching him. It was something much bigger in size.
Behind him was a group of tourists frozen in place. No one dared to say a word.
It Was A Stingray
When Joel kneeled down to take a closer look at the creature, he realized that it was just a giant stingray.
To everyone's surprise, Joel began petting the creature and talking to it as if they were friends. But then, something unexpected happened...
They Became Friends
Every morning, Joel would come by and visit his new friend. However, some people feared that the stingray would attack the boy and injure him.
According to a researcher at the University of Waikato, people should stay away from stingrays as they can be dangerous.
Stingrays Can Be Dangerous
“Stingrays have a spine on their tail that can cause extreme pain and quite a lot of damage, but they won’t ‘attack,’” the researcher said.
She also explained that “they don’t go out to chase you down and attack. What they do is entirely self-defense.” This stingray must have really liked Joel!
Best Friends
Every day, Joel brought food for his friend and only petted him on the nose when the animal asked for it.
During the summer holidays, the boy would come to the beach twice a day to check on the stingray. Then, one day, a fisherman caught him on camera.
The Fishermen Joined In
The fishermen grew to like this friendly stingray and started bringing food for it as well.
So you can imagine how happy this stingray was to have a full tummy every day!
He Visited His Friend Twice A Day
Together with two fishermen, Joel visited his best friend every morning and every evening. The stingray got used to the boy and waited for him by the docks.
The news of Joel having a pet friend spread like wildfire!
Going Viral
More and more people began visiting the docks to witness this beautiful friendship for themselves.
One man brought a camera with him and filmed this beautiful moment. The video went viral in just a couple of hours!
People Wanted To Join Him
Suddenly, Joel was famous! His peers began asking him if they could join him during his morning routine and some adults even offered to buy food for his pet friend.
Did Joel take them up on their offer?
He Loved Fresh Shrimp
The stingray never refused the food, even when he didn't feel hungry. Fresh shrimp was his favorite snack, and Joel knew this very well.
And he always waited for the boy to pet him on the nose before leaving.
A Daily Routine
Every morning, Joel and his friends went to the docks to say hi to their pet friend. However, it's important to know that these sea creatures need some time away from humans and other animals to rest and eat.
So, Joel and his friends only spent a few minutes with the stingray.
A Kind Soul
As soon as the video of Joel feeding his friend went viral, people began commenting and liking the video.
"My faith in humanity's restored. These boys have good souls," one YouTube user wrote.