Dolphins Pull Wounded Warriors Toward Healing in the Florida Keys
FLORIDA KEYS VIDEO ADVISORY January 11, 2026
Contacts: Mary B. Haban, Mary@fla-keys.com (305) 394-3142 or Chad Newman, Chad@fla-keys.com (310) 283-8441
Story: Dolphins Pull Wounded Warriors Toward Healing in the Florida Keys
Locator: Marathon, Florida Keys
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Photo Captions Below
Video: Aerial and ground-level B-roll of wounded veterans interacting with dolphins at Dolphin Research Center in Marathon, including swimmers being pulled through the water by dolphins, flipper shakes, and dorsal fin pulls. SOTs with veteran Bill Hansen and Mandy Rodriguez, CEO and co-founder of Dolphin Research Center. Note to producers: B-roll of Bill Hansen (0:23-1:07)
Technical Data:
TRT: 3:05
Filename: KeysSoldierSwim.mp4
Audio: Stereo Mix
SOTs: Clean / Isolated
B-Roll: Natural Sound
Credit: Florida Keys News Bureau (Screen credit appreciated, not mandatory).
Dolphins Pull Wounded Warriors Toward Healing in the Florida Keys
MARATHON, Florida Keys (January 11, 2026) – A well-deserved swim with some inquisitive dolphins. That's what more than 40 wounded warriors did today after capping off their Florida Keys Soldier Ride.
The celebrated soldiers swam with the dolphins at Marathon’s Dolphin Research Center, where they shared playful flipper shakes and dorsal fin pulls. This treat came after completing a 53-mile cycling journey through the Florida Keys that concluded Saturday in Key West.
"They pulled me around this lagoon and it's a mental and spiritual release," said Bill Hansen, a former Marine and Army National Guardsman. "A lot of guys and a lot of girls have come back from combat. They need that."
Hansen said the Wounded Warrior Project and Dolphin Research Center provided an experience he wouldn't have sought on his own.
"They said, 'Come here. We know that this is going to help you spiritually. We know this is going to help you emotionally.' And you see the joy on people's faces."
Organized by the Wounded Warrior Project, Soldier Ride provides rehabilitative opportunities for injured service members while raising awareness and support for veterans recovering from combat injuries.
The weekend ride took participants across the panoramic Seven Mile Bridge and along the picturesque Florida Keys Overseas Highway. Some riders used specially adapted bicycles to accommodate combat injuries including missing limbs.
Mandy Rodriguez, CEO and co-founder of Dolphin Research Center and a combat veteran herself, said the marine mammals provide unique therapeutic benefits.
"A lot of times we come back from theater with some anger, maybe some demons, and they're hard to shake," Rodriguez said. "The dolphins do make a big difference on a day like today. We come back with a lot of baggage, and these dolphins seem to unpack that baggage."
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project is to raise public awareness and support for the needs of severely injured members of the military. The organization's cross-country and Keys bicycle trips provide rehabilitative opportunities for injured soldiers.
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U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class Jerry Wayne Padgett II enjoys a smooch with a dolphin at Dolphin Research Center Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Marathon, Fla. Padgett was among more than 40 wounded military personnel who participated in Soldier Ride, a South Florida mainland and Florida Keys event that ended Sunday. Activities, including a bicycle ride down portions of the Keys’ Overseas Highway, were organized by the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides inspiration and programs to help veterans and active-duty soldiers recover from debilitating physical or mental injuries sustained while serving in the military. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Dolphin Research Center/HO)
A dolphin imitates U.S. army veteran Sarah Harrison swimming on her back at Dolphin Research Center Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Marathon, Fla. Harrison was among more than 40 wounded military personnel who participated in Soldier Ride, a South Florida mainland and Florida Keys event that ended Sunday. Activities, including a bicycle ride down portions of the Keys’ Overseas Highway, were organized by the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides inspiration and programs to help veterans and active-duty soldiers recover from debilitating physical or mental injuries sustained while serving in the military. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Dolphin Research Center/HO)
Logan Wilson, a Walter Reed Medical Center patient on active duty with the U.S. Army, is towed by two dolphins at Dolphin Research Center Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Marathon, Fla. Wilson was among over 40 wounded military personnel who participated in Soldier Ride, a South Florida mainland and Florida Keys event that ended Sunday. Activities, including a bicycle ride down portions of the Keys’ Overseas Highway, were organized by the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides inspiration and programs to help veterans and active-duty soldiers recover from debilitating physical or mental injuries sustained while serving in the military. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Dolphin Research Center/HO)
Spencer Charm, left, a Walter Reed Medical Center patient on active duty with the U.S. Air Force, gets help from Joe Sanchez, right, before an interactive dolphin encounter at Dolphin Research Center Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Marathon, Fla. Both were among more than 40 wounded military personnel who participated in Soldier Ride, a South Florida mainland and Florida Keys event that ended Sunday. Activities, including a bicycle ride down portions of the Keys’ Overseas Highway, were organized by the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides inspiration and programs to help veterans and active-duty soldiers recover from debilitating physical or mental injuries sustained while serving in the military. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Dolphin Research Center/HO)
U.S. military veterans and active-duty personnel take part in an interactive dolphin encounter at Dolphin Research Center Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Marathon, Fla. Over 40 wounded military personnel participated in Soldier Ride, a South Florida mainland and Florida Keys event that ended Sunday. Activities, including a bicycle ride down portions of the Keys’ Overseas Highway, were organized by the Wounded Warrior Project, which provides inspiration and programs to help veterans and active-duty soldiers recover from debilitating physical or mental injuries sustained while serving in the military. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Dolphin Research Center/HO)