Local Man Inspiration For ‘Dolphin Tale’
Written on August 26, 2011 by Koby Jeffery
x A local prosthetic designer will be played by Morgan Freeman in an upcoming movie based on a dolphin named Winter and an unusual effort to save her life.
After Winter lost her tail in a crab trap, she would have died if she stayed in the ocean, but Kevin Carroll got an idea.
“When we first started talking about putting a tail on Winter many people said it’s not going to work, she’ll reject it, but they didn’t know Winter and didn’t know me,” said Carroll, vice president of Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics.
From his Fairfield office, Carroll showed off the gel material he devised to protect the dolphin’s skin after the prosthesis was attached.
“The gel has been the ticket to success,” Carroll said.
“Dolphin Tale” depicts how Winter became an inspiration for others with prosthetic limbs and Carroll himself.
“I could see Winter giving us the encouragement,” he said. “Working with her everyday, she was like, ‘Keep doing this, guys, I know this is going to work.’”
And it did.
Winter now lives at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and plays herself in the film, which also stars Ashley Judd, Harry Connick Jr. and Kris Kristofferson.
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