When Cieran Kelso was 13 months old, he contracted meningitis, which resulted in having to have both of his legs amputated. But that didn’t stop him from swimming. To help Cieran swim, his father made Cieran prosthetic swim flippers. When he first watched the movie “Dolphin’s Tale,” he identified with Winter, a dolphin who lost her tail in a crab trap and was fitted with a prosthetic tail. It was his dream to one day swim with Winter.
On August 16, Cieran’s dream came true. He smiled as Winter performed tricks and frolicked around the large pool. In a recent interview, Cieran said he could have swam with her “for a million hours” if allowed, and “it was greater than great.” Besides her trainers and the actors from the film, Cieran is only the second person to have swum with her.
A quote from Dolphin’s Tale accurately describes how amazing they both are. “In this changing world, it’s harder than ever to find something extraordinary, but every once in a while a symbol of hope breaks through.” This Thoughtful Thursday is dedicated to both Cieran and Winter.