iStockphoto / Andre Erlich
Samuel Synstelien is a life-risking, whale-saving hero. Over the weekend, the 20-something-year-old posted one of the most insane TikTok sequences that you will ever see. Out in the middle of the ocean, he and his friends came across a whale with a rope wrapped around itself. There is no land around, no other boats, nothing. It is Sam, his friend, a boat, the ocean and a stuck whale.
The first video has gone viral, but it’s better to set the scene.
Part 1 shows the two pull up on the whale.
His friend asks “how ballsy are you feeling?”
@samuelsynstelien9 I guess this is part 1. I’m not really sure how to tell the whole story yet.
Part 2 shows the whale struggling, almost crying for help.
The water was frigid and you can hear Sam’s friend tell him “you can’t get in dude,” before pausing and saying, “unless…”
@samuelsynstelien9 The temp was probably like lower 50s. I started to strip down to my boxers not fully commited.
Part 3 shows the boat get close to the whale, preparing for the rescue effort.
Whatever the “unless” was, it was enough for Sam to send it.
@samuelsynstelien9 Part 3. Getting ready for the big jump.
Part 4 is the first jump.
Sam, sporting a life vest and holding a knife, dives into the water alongside the whale. It’s the first video where you can see the actual line that is stuck on the whale.
@samuelsynstelien9 Part 4. The first jump didn’t go quite as planned, but you can see the blue line that’s wrapped around her.
Part 5 shows the second jump.
The first attempt was a flop, but he wasn’t done trying. It gets a little gnarly when he misses and the whale starts thrashing.
@samuelsynstelien9 Part 5. The second jump got a little sketchy. I almost didn’t want to try again.
The rescue video.
After missing on the first two, Sam almost gave up. But this dude has ice in his veins and balls of steel. His friend pulls up in front of the whale and Sam jumps. He lands a little bit past the rope, swims up to the dorsal fin and pulls himself in. He cuts the rope as the whale slams its tail against the boat and swims off.
@samuelsynstelien9 Ok sorry for adding the song in the first video. I’m new to tiktok. Here’s the original clip.
Although Sam’s friend is yelling throughout the entire clip, it couldn’t be any more epic. This dude really jumped off of a boat, in the middle of an ocean, onto a whale, and saved its life. Perhaps the greatest moment of the entire saga comes when his friend asks “did you get it?” and Sam puts the knife in his mouth and throws up his arms.
The original video.
@samuelsynstelien9 Me in the water, my best friend driving the boat. That time we saved a whale.
Samuel Synstelien is a legend.