Hawk Hero: Phoenix area pest control technician saves drowning bird from pool at client's home

Arizona pest control technician saves hawk who nearly drowned in a pool

A Phoenix area pest control technician heard splashing from a nearby pool while on the job and quickly realized that his help was needed.

PHOENIX - It may sound like a wild story, but a pest control technician in Arizona went above and beyond the job to help rescue an animal in need. Now, he is being hailed as a "hawk hero."

For Steven Gonzales, it was a typical day on the job until he noticed a hawk splashing around in a pool.

"I see this hawk, and it's just gripping, like, something in a pool, like a drain or something," said Gonzales, who works with Truly Nolen. "It's just, like, holding itself up, so I was, like, OK, what am I going to do?"

At the time, Gonzales was completing a customer's routine pest control service. He quickly dropped everything and jumped into action to rescue the hawk, and it was all caught on camera by a trainee.

"It lets me grab it by the legs, and I end up lifting it on my shoulder, and it kind of flaps its wings a little bit and just rests there," said Gonzales.

The hawk seemed to be very grateful, as Gonzales said it was very calm. It even perched on his arm for quite a while, until he set it on the ground to dry off.

Gonzales said the hawk's wings were heavy from being soaked.

"It just chilled there with me," said Gonzales. "It didn't want to leave my side. It just stayed right next to me."

Gonzales called a Cave Creek non-profit called 'Wild At Heart,' a group that rescues birds. Members of the group are looking after the hawk until it is strong enough to be released back into the wild. Gonzales said he gets daily updates and hopes to be there when it is released. He has even signed up to volunteer with the organization, and help with future rescues.

"I've always been fascinated with birds of prey and stuff and animals, and I like to volunteer and do things and help not only people and pest control, but animals as well," said Gonzales.

The organization is also allowing Gonzales to name the bird.

"I named her Lucena, after my daughter," said Gonzales.

For Gonzales, this was not his first animal rescue, as he said he has rescued an owl before.