AnoOrca on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/anoorca/art/Forever-419315603AnoOrca

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Forever.

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Today, 12/12, is the 10th anniversary of Keiko's passing. Keiko played Willy in the first Free Willy film.
Keiko left behind a legacy that will never die. He touched and inspired millions, and was the first captive orca to be rehabilitated and released into the wild, thanks to the hearts of thousands of donors worldwide. Keiko proved to the world that anything can be overcome; a sick and dying whale, nursed miraculously back to health and returned to the waters he was abducted from as a two year old calf. He tasted natural sea water, felt the tides and currents, and played in the freedom of the ocean for the last five years of his life. But perhaps the most wonderful thing he experienced was seeing and interacting with his own kind again for the first time in almost two decades, in their natural environment. And while he didn't locate his family pod, he did prove that a captive whale could learn how to hunt again, as he trekked from Iceland to Norway without human care, caring for himself the entire way. In the end, Keiko died a free whale. Keiko was the whale who could, and he will forever live on in the hearts of those who love him.



Splash brushes by =FrostBo ; cloud brushes by *redheadstock
Image size
1250x904px 1.14 MB
© 2013 - 2024 AnoOrca
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OrkyDorky's avatar
this is a beautiful piece i love the orange shading you did nice!