Lorenzo, the 110-year-old giant lobster, gets a second chance at freedom

NEW YORK (WPIX) – A giant lobster with a long history is now making waves in a different way.

Thanks to a special celebration and the big-hearted people behind it, Lorenzo, the 21-pound, 110-year-old lobster, is swimming free once again.

On Thursday, Peter’s Clam Bar in Hempstead, Long Island, marked National Lobster Day and Father’s Day with a heartfelt gesture: setting Lorenzo free.

Butch Yamali, owner of Peter’s Clam Bar, shared how Lorenzo became a part of the restaurant’s story. “Lorenzo just kind of slipped through the cracks and ended up in our tank for years,” he said.

Yamali explained that Lorenzo had become a fixture at the establishment.

“Some of these lobsters just don’t live that long, and this one did. So, we figured what better way to celebrate Father’s Day than by freeing Lorenzo. He became like a pet. People would come see him and take pictures with him, and he was just an object of the store.”

The celebration gained official support when Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin and Nassau County Legislator John Ferretti joined forces to pardon and release Lorenzo back into the wild.

This event echoes a similar story with Lenny, another giant lobster the restaurant famously freed, continuing a tradition of giving these ancient crustaceans a second chance at life.

When asked if Lorenzo would be missed, Yamali said, “He’s gonna be missed, but I think it’s better like this. If he passed away here, it wouldn’t be a good thing, and I couldn’t have the heart to sell him.”

And just like that, Lorenzo was returned to the Atlantic Beach Reef—back to the open sea, his home once again.