February 12, 2026 / 5:22 PM PST / CBS LA
A hitchhiking sea lion pup got a visit from a familiar face at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach on Thursday.
"I can tell he's filled out already," father Matthew Miller said.
Miller and his 11-year-old daughter Ellie met the little pup last month while they were sailing off the coast of San Clemente. Right away, they realized something was wrong.
The sick sea lion named Chump hopped aboard to get some help from an Orange County hospital. Matthew Miller
"He was frail," Miller said. "He was very, very docile. Very calm, and he hung out on our boat for like a good 30 minutes. I didn't want to bother him, and then, finally, he started coming on board. I was like, 'This is unusual.' So, I shooed him off, and then he came back."
The malnourished sea lion, whom Ellie named Chump, jumped on the boat's swim step and fell asleep. The Millers called rescuers, who advised that they head to Dana Point Harbor so they could get the critically ill animal to the hospital.
"When Chump came in, he had a really raspy sound to his chest, just like how you would imagine a 6-month-old baby with pneumonia sounds," veterinarian Dr. Alissa Deming said. "He had some nasal discharge and was really underweight."
After a few weeks on antibiotics, fluids, and pounds of fish, Chump gained six pounds and was feeling frisky.
"I can tell he's just bouncing back," Miller said. "He's happy. He's thriving. He's healthy. He's got a girlfriend in there. It's like Happy Valentine's Day, Chump."
If things go well, Chump will be released in mid-March. The goal is to double his body weight, to about 70 pounds, so he has a little bit of extra padding when he hits the sand.
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