Freeway the sea lion couldn't be stopped. He scoped out eateries near the sea, scooted down a busy urban freeway, and waddled into an urban creek.
In the end, experts at SeaWorld San Diego said, a progressive disease had done enough damage that the park opted to euthanize him to prevent suffering.
"It is with heavy hearts that we share 'Freeway,' the rescued sea lion, passed away yesterday — surrounded with love from his devoted care and rescue teams," the park said Friday on Facebook.
SeaWorld didn't specify the disease or its impacts. It said Freeway contracted the disease before he made headlines.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
Read the full story on NBCNews.com here.