NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – Winter touched millions of lives with her story but perhaps the one she touched the most was Jim Savage, the man who found her in the Mosquito Lagoon 16 years ago.
“I’m sure she fought as hard the last week as she did that first week when I cut her loose,” he said.
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It’s a goodbye between old friends who helped each other in more ways than Savage could have imagined.
Their bond started in December 2005. Savage was fishing in the lagoon near Turtle Mound when he saw the dolphin wrapped in a crab trap and line.
“She came up and she was wrapped tight around the crab trap,” he said.
He cut the lines off, but it was clear her injuries were worse. He called Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission and waited by Winter’s side until help came.
“I just jumped in and grabbed Winter and brought her over to (the FWC representative),” he said.
Winter was just two months old. She was then taken to Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Biologists ultimately had to amputate her tail. She learned to move without it but was also given a prosthetic tail.
She gave hope to people with prosthetics and became known nationally as the star of the movie “Dolphin Tale.”
Savage and his family visited her frequently, too.
“I thought wow, that’s pretty amazing that a wounded dolphin would be able to touch that many people’s lives,” Savage said.
He said Winter’s inspiration went beyond that, though. He remembers the day his niece, diagnosed with a chromosome condition, visited Winter as her wish with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“Then I knew. I saw the connection then because (of) what it did for her. It was amazing,” he said.
Last week, the aquarium announced 16-year-old Winter was sick.
After days of fighting an infection, and despite the team’s efforts to help her, she passed away around 8 p.m. Thursday night.
Savage said she leaves behind a story that will live on.
“I guess my wish now would be that her spirit or memory will still inspire people,” Savage said.