Killed SeaWorld Trainer Believed in Trust Relationship with Whales
Feb. 24 2010, Published 11:39 a.m. ET
Dawn Brancheau, the SeaWorld Orlando trainer who recently was killed by a whale, believed in the special relationship between the trainer and the animal. RadarOnline.com unearthed an old interview in which she discussed her childhood passion for the profession and talked about trust in the tank.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Whale Advocate Blames Sea World For Trainer's Death
"You can't put yourself in the water unless you trust them and they trust you," Brancheau told the Orlando Sentinel in January 2006 when the theme park revamped its signature Shamu show to feature new interactions between the whales and their trainers.
- Aerosmith Announces Retirement From Touring After 54 Years — Band Confirms Steven Tyler's 'Full Recovery' From Vocal Injury 'Not Possible'
- Cardi B Announces She’s Pregnant With Baby No. 3...After Filing for Divorce AGAIN From Husband Offset: ‘With Every End Comes a New Beginning’
- Joe Biden Speaks Out for First Time Since Ditching 2024 Election Campaign — Praising ‘Capable and Tough’ VP Kamala Harris
DAILY. BREAKING. CELEBRITY NEWS. ALL FREE.
She reportedly died on Wednesday after slipping into the pool of a 30-year old whale named Tilikum- an animal responsible for two previous deaths.
Tiger Woods Takes Kids to Sea World
In the interview, she also described the moment she decided to be a trainer.
"I remember walking down the aisle of Shamu Stadium and telling my mom, 'This is what I want to do,'" she said about a trip to SeaWorld when she was nine. She began her career working at the Sea Lion & Otter Stadium before then spending over a decade working with killer whales.