Her name is Winter. She is a dolphin. When she was around 2 months old, Winter got entangled in a crab trap. Post rescue, Winter’s tail had to be amputated. Anyone who has ever seen a dolphin rejoices in the fluid, powerful strokes with which the creature swims (or rather, plays!). Well, Winter could neither do fluid nor powerful. What she did do was this – she created a special place in a few people’s hearts who set about the task of getting her to swim. A team of experts assembled to design and create a prosthetic tail for Winter (around 50 – 60 “test” tails & a newer, improved prototype is being developed) moulded around the amputated stump with a special gel which is now known as Winter’s Gel. Dedicated trainers worked tirelessly to help Winter swim with her new tail. And they succeeded.
Winter stays in Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Florida where she is a star attraction. Winter’s gritty tale of loss and redemption has already served to infuse hope and strength in several people, particularly those who themselves have amputated limbs and are now using prosthetics. Winter’s Gel has been used successfully by injured veterans and amputees to reduce the pain of their prosthetics. It is a testament to Winter’s courage and the love and skill of the experts who work with her, that their efforts have today impacted many people’s lives in a positive way. Below is a short clipping from the end credits of Dolphin’s Tale (2011) where Winter stars as herself, showing how people intuitively seek and receive Winter’s reassurance.
It is in ‘Scent of a Woman’ (1992) where Al Pacino’s character speaks out, “But there is nothing like the sight of an amputated spirit. There's no prosthetic for that.” These words are I guess, true for most people but for atleast 1 dolphin happily swimming away in a giant pool in Florida, an amputated tail has not led to an amputated life!
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