Inside The Sad Case Of Tilikum The Whale And SeaWorld Trainer Dawn Brancheau

When we think of theme parks, there’s a good chance the joy of having fun with our loved ones is the first thing that comes to mind. Although SeaWorld calls itself an amusement park, many argue it’s more of a zoo, thanks to the number of sea animals kept in the parks.

It’s these creatures that have caused such a stir. SeaWorld is known for having orcas as the face and star of the parks. The problem? There have been a host of incidents involving the whales, such as Tilikum, aka the whale who ended SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau’s life.

Dawn Brancheau instantly knew she wanted to work at SeaWorld

Some people spend their entire lives figuring out what they want to do. That was never the case for Dawn Brancheau. At just ten years old, she allegedly knew precisely what she wanted to do with her career: work as a trainer at SeaWorld. It all started when Dawn visited the park in Orlando for the first time.

Orlando Sentinel reports Dawn told her mom, “This is what I want to do,” as she watched the trainers work with the orcas. The whales have long been the face of the park, and Dawn was overwhelmed by the idea of getting in the water with the sea creatures. She had no way of knowing what her dream would mean.

The passing years didn’t put Dawn Brancheau off the idea of working at SeaWorld

Just because Dawn Brancheau knew what she wanted to do didn’t mean she knew how to make it come true. It wasn’t until she spoke to the trainers at SeaWorld that Dawn got some inside tips on how to make it into the water. Apparently, she talked to the workers and even penned a letter to the park’s HR department.

To top things off, Dawn decided to get the ball rolling by working toward a college degree. Years later, Dawn still knew she wanted to be an orca trainer, so earned a dual degree in animal psychology and behavior. Her qualifications were a step in the right direction for Dawn, who just needed some experience under her belt.

Showing her passion for animals became a huge part of Dawn Brancheau’s life

Many who knew Dawn Brancheau knew one thing for certain: she was a huge animal lover. Her passion for animals went much further than wanting to work with them full-time, as Dawn also welcomed two chocolate labradors into her life. On top of this, Dawn would often rescue strays like lost rabbits and small birds.

When she wasn’t busy looking after her growing furry family, Dawn supposedly spent a lot of time volunteering at a local animal shelter. Here, she got to showcase her true passion for working with animals while also helping to give back to the world. All of this meant Dawn was one of the most dedicated applicants SeaWorld had ever encountered.

Joining SeaWorld was the ultimate goal, but Dawn Brancheau needed experience

Although working at SeaWorld was the end goal for Dawn Brancheau, that didn’t mean she was destined to earn a spot with the park as soon as she left college. Instead, Dawn knew that she needed some experience to show SeaWorld that she was serious about working with the orcas. The result? A job with Six Flags Great Adventure.

Dawn landed a spot with the park’s New Jersey branch, where she spent most of her time working with the dolphins. Apparently, it didn’t take everyone long to notice that Dawn was as much of an animal lover as it seemed on the surface. The best bit? All the experience left her one-stop closer to her ultimate goal.

Dawn Brancheau joined SeaWorld and convinced her boss she should work with orcas

Dawn Brancheau spent two years working with Six Flags before she was finally offered the chance to work with SeaWorld. However, she was still a world away from getting to work with the orcas. It’s said Dawn joined the park in 1994 and was first in charge of caring for the smaller animals, such as the sea lions and otters.

Thankfully, getting a role with SeaWorld meant that Dawn got to see Shamu Stadium every time she headed into work for her shift. Amazingly, being so close to her dream and showcasing her love of animals was all Dawn needed to convince her boss she should be allowed with the orcas - something that finally came true in 1996.

1996 was a significant year for Dawn Brancheau in her work and personal life

1996 was a major year for Dawn Brancheau. As well as landing her dream job after so many years of work, she also walked down the aisle with Scott Brancheau. It seems the pair had a lot in common, as Scott also worked at SeaWorld. However, he was a stunt skier instead of someone who dreamed of working with orcas.

Still, their love of adrenaline-fuelled careers was one of the many things the pair had in common. The couple spent many years together after they walked down the aisle. That was until 2010 when tragedy struck, and Dawn was suddenly gone forever. Sadly, Scott never had any idea he would become a widow at such a young age.

SeaWorld was so impressed that Dawn Brancheau practically became the face of the park

Spending so many years dreaming about working with SeaWorld meant that Dawn Brancheau had more than a little enthusiasm for the job. The best bit? As soon as she got to plunge into the pool with the orcas, the rest of the world got to see just how much passion for the animals Dawn really had.

SeaWorld knew this was a major selling point and decided to showcase Dawn as one of their biggest stars of all time. It wasn’t long before Dawn practically became the face of the theme park and was just about everywhere someone turned. From advertising to drawing people into the orca shows, Dawn’s face was used for almost everything.

Keeping on top of her fitness was all a part of everyday life for Dawn Brancheau

Training orcas might sound like a tough job already, but not everyone knows just how much work Dawn Brancheau had to put into making sure she was always fighting fit for the job - quite literally. It put a lot of pressure on her both physically and mentally. This meant Dawn was always working to keep up her fitness.

It’s said that Dawn would regularly go cycling, lift weights, and would run marathons, all to ensure she had the stamina to keep up with the whales. After all, her career was spent in the water with giant sea creatures; she needed to be prepared. This was all before pulling off the moves that Dawn used to wow the crowd.

Dawn Brancheau knew there were risks working with orcas

No one had any idea how things would go for Dawn Brancheau. However, it seems the trainer was more than aware of the risks that came with working with orcas - but to Dawn, they were worth it. After all, not many of us would be brave enough to get in the water with orcas who can grow to 26 feet.

It’s believed part of Dawn’s confidence stemmed from how few orca attacks there had been over the years. While they did happen, the trainer believed SeaWorld wouldn’t be operating if one happened every week. The idea of something terrible happening seemed low enough to convince Dawn that everything would be okay. Oh, how wrong she was.

Dawn Brancheau grew particularly close to a whale named Tilikum

Dawn Brancheau spent most of her life befriending animals. That’s why so many people weren’t surprised to see the orcas become her friends instead of animals she worked with and trained. One of the orcas Dawn grew particularly close to was a male whale called Tilikum, who had been in captivity since 1983 and with SeaWorld since 1992.

The pair spent a lot of time working together and performing in shows at SeaWorld, and it seemed they were quite the duo. One of the senior trainers at the chain of theme parks, John Hargrove, reportedly said Dawn and Tilikum had a “great relationship.” In fact, John told The Sun he believes Tilikum always cared about Dawn, too.

The day Dawn Brancheau lost her life was supposed to be like any other

February 24, 2010, was supposed to be just like any other day at work for Dawn Brancheau. She arrived at work and started prepping for another show with Tilikum, just like she had done so many times before. Tragically, no one knew that by the end of the day, Dawn would have lost her life to the orca.

The moment occurred as Dawn was putting on a show as a part of the Dine with Shamu series. While the orca is long gone, SeaWorld continues to use the whale’s name for many of its attractions and events. This time, the orca people got to see while they ate their food was Tilikum, the now infamous whale.

Reports differ about what happened during Dawn’s show with Tilikum

No one is entirely sure what happened during this Dine with Shamu show. SeaWorld claims that Dawn Brancheau was lying on her face when Tilikum allegedly grabbed her ponytail and dragged the orca trainer into the water. However, other people who were there for the show have different accounts of what happened the moment Dawn lost her life.

Many in the audience claim that she was pulled under the water by her arm instead of her hair. Whatever the case, people instantly knew something terrible was about to happen. In just a second, Dawn had gone from putting on an incredible show as always to finding herself in a fight she was never going to win.

Dawn Brancheau suffered multiple injuries while underwater with Tilikum

While the audience at Dine with Shamu hoped to get a show, they never expected to see the events that started unfolding in front of their very eyes. Tragically, the SeaWorld tragedy was about to become something no one would ever forget as they had front-row seats to the moment Dawn Brancheau lost her life to Tilikum.

The trainer was already drowning as the orca began to throw her body around in the water. By the time they managed to get Dawn’s body back to the surface, they realized she had a severed spinal cord, fractured jaw, broken ribs, and dislocated joints. To make matters worse, Dawn had been scalped, eventually succumbing to her injuries.