CLEARWATER, Fla. — It's been one year since fans in the Tampa Bay area and beyond were devastated by the loss of Winter the Dolphin.
To honor the animal's lasting legacy, Clearwater Marine Aquarium has released its plans for a memorial garden dedicated to the "Dolphin Tale" star.
Winter's memorial garden will be located outside CMA's main entrance for public access. According to the aquarium, it will feature a statue of Winter emerging from a water fountain surrounded by sustainable Florida landscaping and a calming pathway.
“It was important that we create an inviting space that is accessible to all who may need a quiet moment of reflection,” said Lisa Oliver, the aquarium's COO, in a statement.
The garden is set to be completed by the spring of 2023.
"Winter is woven into the fabric of Clearwater Marine Aquarium,” CEO Joe Handy said in a statement. “We are so thankful for the lives she’s changed, both human and marine mammal. Her legacy will live on as we continue to support animals in need. Like Izzy and Apollo, our most recent additions to the CMA family. This Memorial Garden is a tribute to Winter and her admirers who continue to inspire us each day.”
Winter the Dolphin passed away at age 16 on Nov. 11, 2021, due to a gastrointestinal abnormality.
Her story has inspired those near and far after she was rescued on Dec. 10, 2005, along Florida's east coast.
At just 2-months old, Winter was found alone caught in a crab trap rope "bound so tightly around her tail flukes that they eventually fell off during rehabilitation due to a lack of blood flow," CMA wrote.
As Winter healed without her tail flukes, she developed a new way to swim – in a side-to-side motion rather than the up-and-down motion she had done before.
Her survival story made national headlines and caught the attention of the team at Hanger Clinic, who developed a prosthetic tail that Winter could use to minimize the negative effects of her side-to-side swimming pattern.
Ever since, she inspired aquarium visitors with her resiliency.
Winter was the star of "Dolphin Tale," which hit the big screen in 2011. The Hollywood film attracted major film actors, including Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson and Harry Connick Jr. Three years later, "Dolphin Tale 2" was released as a sequel.
Previous 10 Tampa Bay reporting contributed to this report.