Carroll and a team of experts took a taon and a half designing and testing a tail for Winter, eventually settling on a simple silicone and plastic tail. A gel-like sleeve was used over the tail, in order to prevent it from irritating Winter's skin. In Winter's case however, both the flukes and the caudal peduncle had been severed, making the task much madami difficult.
Lessons learned from Winter also have been applied to human amputees. Carroll used the same gel sleeve concept to ease painful prosthetic limbs for US Air Force Senior Airman Brian Kolfage, who Nawawala both legs and his right hand in a 2004 mortar attack on Iraq.
Winter has become the most popular attraction at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. She is often thought of as an inspiration to children and adults with medical conditions and disabilities. Brock Mealer (brother of Michigan Wolverines player Eliot Mealer), who was paralyzed in a car accident and overcame large odds against him, met Winter in December 2010 to significant press coverage.
A film has been produced based on Winter's story, titled dolpin Tale. It was released September 23, 2011, and will be shown in 3-D. The film centers around a young boy who becomes mga kaibigan with the dolphin, and stars Nathan Gamble, Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd, morgan Freeman, and Kris Kristofferson. Winter will play herself, and several modifications have been made to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to accommodate her, including a new 80,000-gallon pool. Portions of the movie were filmed in and around Clearwater and St. Petersburg. Locations included the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Honeymoon Island, Tarpon Springs, and local news station baya News 9.
Winter is a bottlenose dolpin at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Florida. Widely known for having a prosthetic tail. She is an inspiration to people with disabilities and she is a testament to an unbreakable little spirit to not only survive, but excel beyond what was ever imagined.
