Winter The Dolphin Cause of Death Tragic: 'Dolphin Tale' Star Mourned By Fans Online
Winter, popularly known as the Dolphin in the hit inspirational 2011 film "Dolphin Tale," has passed away at the age of 16.
According to Deadline, Winter died from an illness. She was first in distress earlier this month; then, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium conducted a test a few days ago that showed she was fighting a gastrointestinal infection that was too late to cure.
The bottlenose dolphin was pronounced dead on Thursday at around 8 p.m.
Her Veterinarian, Dr. Shelly Marquardt, issued a statement on the marine park's website saying, "While we are heartbroken by Winter's death, we are comforted knowing that our team did everything possible to give her the best chance at survival."
She added that CMA worked with specialists and marine mammal experts from different parts of the U.S. for her to be taken care of. All the staff was working "around the clock" when Winter was suffering from an illness.
"I'm honored to work alongside such dedicated and talented professionals who gave their all for Winter." the Veterinarian added.
Winter's Appearance on the Inspirational 'Dolphin Tale'
Winter starred in two films in the past, "Dolphin Tale" in 2011 and "Dolphin Tale 2" in 2014. She co-starred alongside Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, and Harry Connick Jr.
The first movie earned over $96 million in worldwide box office, while $72 million domestically.
The film's story revolves around a dolphin caught in a crab trap line; she was later given a prosthetic to use her body normally again.
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Clearwater Marine Aquarium To Hold a Memorial For Winter
The Florida-based marine aquarium announced that they would be closed to the public on Friday and re-open the next day to allow the staff to mourn Winter's death.
They are also planning to have a memorial, which will be announced soon.
Fans Mourn Online
After the news of Winter's tragic death circulated on the internet, many online users expressed their sadness and paid tribute to the late animal.
"Rest in peace sweet girl, we loved every bit of your 16 years on this planet. We loved watching you overcome the worst and become the beautiful animal we knew today." one fan wrote.
"This truly is sad. My heart is broken. Thank you Winter for inspiring so many, including my girls." another fan wrote.
"Thank you for taking care of Winter all these years. I give you guys a lot of credit for what you do. It's tragic that Winter died, even despite the efforts you guys went through to try to save her. Her story was an inspiration to many worldwide." one tweeted.
