It would’ve been nice to talk with Winter. But she wasn’t
doing interviews.
The other stars of Dolphin
Tale 2 were more accommodating when I went down to Clearwater Marine
Aquarium for a set visit last year. Some select Christian media outlets had the
opportunity to talk with Harry Connick Jr., Nathan Gamble, Cozi Zuehlsdorff,
Bethany Hamilton and several other performers. Winter, the famous aquatic
mammal and the breakout star from the
original Dolphin Tale, apparently wasn’t
available. But that’s OK. She makes time for the people who matter.
Winter’s story, according to pretty much everyone involved,
has mightily impacted thousands of folks. Not just people who come to
Clearwater just gawk at a famous bottlenose dolphin, but people—often with
disabilities themselves—who’ve been inspired by Winter’s disability. No matter
what life throws at you, Winter seems to channel another aquatic star—Dori from
Finding Nemo. Just keep swimming.
If you’re not familiar with the original Dolphin Tale, the movie focuses on the
true story of Winter, who lost her tail fluke and joint after she got tangled
up in a crab trap. As you might imagine, those body parts are absolutely
critical for the life of a dolphin. But the good people at Clearwater, along
with some outside help, developed an artificial fluke that Winter, after some
struggles, learned how to use. And now the animal gets along just (ahem)
swimmingly.
A couple days ago, I marveled at how one little boy with
autism took inspiration from a Guardians
of the Galaxy character. But according to those involved with Dolphin Tale 2, that’s nothing compared
to the influence that Winter has had on people.
David Yates, the real CEO of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium,
knows many of the stories by heart: The tank commander who lost an arm and leg
in the middle east—and who found a source of inspiration in this aquatic hero.
A nine-year-old girl with a cleft palate whose family drove of miles to just
see Winter. Kids who were scared to go to school because of some sort of real
or perceived disability, but who saw Winter and found the courage to go after
all.
“It’s amazing how God can use a little dolphin like this to
change thousands of lives,” Yates says.
The new movie, Dolphin
Tale 2, includes real-life footage of some of the people whom Winter has
impacted. Yates says he’s received tens of thousands of letters and e-mails
regarding Winter.
“Every kid has a life challenge,” he says. “They look at
Winter (and say) she’s different, but she’s OK.”
When
you’re promoting a feel-good movie, you’re naturally going to emphasize the
feel-good elements. But when you hear how much Winter’s story also touched the
movie’s cast, you wonder whether
there’s something to it. Zuehlsdorff, who plays Hazel in the movie, and Austin
Highsmith, who plays dolphin trainer Phoebe, teared up recounting some of the
stories they’ve heard and seen. Everyone involved in Dolphin Tale returned for the sequel. Everyone, it seemed, felt the
original movie was really special. And they wanted to be part of that feeling
again.
“We’re really this Dolphin
Tale family,” said Austin Stowell, who plays Kyle Connellan in both movies.
And that family extends, in a way, to those who’ve been touched by
them—particularly by Winter’s story. “It shows us that I can do anything.”
The first Dolphin Tale
was an improbable hit, earning $72.3 million on a relatively shoestring budget.
Will the second one—which focuses on Winter’s potential new tank mate—make the
same sort of impact? We’ll find out next Monday.