Florida aquarium creates legacy for famed Winter the Dolphin

By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — A Florida aquarium has created a legacy for its famed Winter the Dolphin following her recent death, including virtual reality encounters with the star of the Dolphin Tale movies. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium announced Friday that Winter’s legacy will include an ongoing memorial, a funding endowment, a special song and the release of her cremated ashes in the ocean. Winter died on Nov. 11 at age 16 of an inoperable intestinal problem. She was rescued in December 2005 after her tail became caught in a crab trap rope. The uplifting story of her recovery using an unprecedented prosthetic tail was told in the two Dolphin Tale films, making her a hero to people with disabilities and chronic illnesses.