Hallmark star Andrew Walker doesn’t just play a hero in some of his movies; he happens to be one in real life, too. The star of “Adventures in Love & Birding” navigated an unexpected animal rescue with his wife, Cassandra Troy, a few months ago. He recently shared new details about how it all played out with People.
Andrew Walker & His Wife Cassandra Troy Helped Save a Dolphin
Walker, 46, and Troy, 42, were with their sons at a home in Vancouver, Canada, last May when they spotted an animal in trouble. He shared, “We often drop the kids off at school, sit down outside and have our coffee, and we have our binoculars there, and we’ll just spend an hour just checking things out.”
As they enjoyed their ordinary morning routine, Troy spotted something through the binoculars. Walker recalled she thought she saw something “flopping around,” like a dolphin or a whale. The house where the family was staying was next to a bird sanctuary, and people there had spotted the animal, too.
Troy walked with them out to take a closer look at the animal, and soon she called Walker, who stayed at the house. He recalled, “I get the call a few minutes later, and she’s like, ‘It’s a dolphin. Move your car out of the driveway because the Vancouver wildlife team is coming, and they’re going to need to park in our driveway.”
The Vancouver Aquarium’s Marine Mammal Rescue Team came, and everybody worked together to try to save the dolphin. They discovered, “It was a silver dolphin that doesn’t usually make their way into that area, but [the rescue team] said it likely had been chased and attacked by an orca.”
“Just seeing this creature looking around, the kindness in their eyes — it was really amazing,” Walker told People.
The Experience Was ‘Incredible,’ Although the Dolphin Didn’t Survive
Shortly after the situation transpired in May, Walker talked to EntertainmentNow about what happened. He noted that when the group got to the dolphin, it had “scratch marks on her back” and she was “by herself, which is not normal for dolphins.”
The six people from the sanctuary worked with Troy and Walker to get the dolphin moved from where it was in the mud flats to the truck. He explained to EntertainmentNow, “Since our house has direct access to the water and street, they used our backyard and driveway to carry her through.”
Everybody who came together to help was “so professional and caring,” Walker shared, adding that it was “an incredible experience.”
Walker explained that the people from the sanctuary promised to keep them updated on how the dolphin was doing. Sadly, “That next morning, unfortunately, we got an email thanking everybody, but the dolphin didn’t make it.”
Walker said he wished “there [was] a happier ending” to the dolphin’s story. Despite that, “It was one of those unforgettable moments that makes you pause and just feel,” he added.
