Hope, Turtle Born with an Exposed Heart That Became Online Sensation, Dies

Mar. 15, 2025

Hope the turtle with her owner Michael Aquilina.Photo:gofundme

gofundme

Hope, a beloved albino pinkbelly sideneck turtle who was born with anexposed heart, has died.

“I love you Hope. I will miss you forever. I feel broken without you. Thank you for making my life worth living. I wouldn’t still be here if you never came into my life. Because of you a lot of people have hope, you’ve brought joy and positivity and strength to so many,” Aquilina wrote in anInstagram tributeto Hope, who died on Sunday, Aug. 11.

In a video included with the post, Aquilina said that he didn’t expect Saturday, Aug. 10, the day headmitted Hope to an animal hospital due to showing some unusual symptomsafterpreviously being admitted in April, was the last time he would see her alive.

“Her eyes were open, she was active, she just had a suppressed appetite and was mouth breathing for one day,” Aquilina said while describing her symptoms in aGoFundMecreated to assist with her medical bills.

Hope the turtle.Caters News

The pet owner said his “heart is broken because the thought of losing her this time around didn’t even cross my mind,” noting that Hope was “in much better shape” than before and that he and her doctors had already discussed a four-day treatment plan.

“She made it through the night and was doing well the next morning,” he recalled. “Around 3 pm, they called and said she was declining and her heart rate had slowed. Around 7 pm, they called again and said that she was showing signs of improvement. Then at 9 pm I woke up to 6 missed calls.”

After answering the seventh call, Aquilina was given the news that Hope had died.

Hope the turtle.aquamike23/instagram

aquamike23/instagram

“Hope was a part of my daily routine, my pride and joy, my purpose for 6 years of my life and I will be lost without her,” he said.

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source: people.com