There is no verified story titled “The Heartbeat of Compassion: The Unlikely Hero Who Saved a Hippo’s Life,” but similar real-life accounts of animal rescues do exist and have inspired books like Unlikely Heroes by Jennifer S. Holland.

While I couldn’t find a specific case matching that exact title, the theme of unlikely heroes saving animals is well documented. One notable source is Unlikely Heroes: 37 Inspiring Stories of Courage and Heart from the Animal Kingdom by Jennifer S. Holland. This book shares real-life accounts of animals and humans performing extraordinary acts of compassion, including:

• A pod of dolphins protecting swimmers from a great white shark.

• A dog who detected cancer in its owner.

• A parrot who alerted a family to a fire.

Although none of these stories involve a hippo specifically, the idea of someone stepping up to save a large, vulnerable animal like a hippo is not far-fetched. Hippos are often victims of habitat loss, poaching, and conflict with humans, and there have been cases where wildlife conservationists, veterinarians, or even local villagers have intervened to save them.