Dolphins Bring Healing To Veterans With Disabilities, PTSD

For Vietnam War veteran Mandy Rodriguez, working with dolphins proved a life-changing escape from the haunting memories of wartime horrors.

Rodriguez decided to help other veterans by inviting them to participate in activities at his Dolphin Research Center.

CNN reports Rodriguez has hosted disabled veterans and others suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, hoping that time spent with the dolphins will bring them the same relief he has found.

WATCH:

Comments

[Anne Duchard]

05:51 PM on 11/14/2010

This is just a wonderful video, too great to miss.

[AlienPet13]

02:43 AM on 11/10/2010

Years ago I read in a Readers Digest about Dolphins in Monkey Mia harbor in Australia... when they took children afflicted with cancer into the water, several dolphins seemed to home in on the areas where tumors were located and made sounds that researchers had never heard them make before... later it was discovered that the animals were "treating" the tumors with sonic blasts... this actually had a therapeutic effect. Since our bodies are 70% water, we appear semi-transparent to dolphins and they can literally 'see' the sickness inside our bodies! They love pregnant women too, get very excited around them and often 'laugh' as if to congratulate them on their impending birth. The fact that they were "treating" sick children is just amazing! What wonderful creatures!

[Anne Duchard]

05:44 PM on 11/14/2010

I heard about the way they see us, as semi- transparent, XR vision like. To me this is a sign that they must be more evolved then humans. They know what is inside of us and can see our illnesses such as tumors. It is interesting that they would surround pregnant women in water because they can see the baby inside. I wonder what it would be like for humans if they had XR vision like dolphins do. This is grand... they are trully natural healers.

[AlienPet13]

11:16 PM on 11/14/2010

It's actually just a function of their sonar... since we are 70% water ourselves, when we are in the water we are 70% transparent to them so there is nothing mystical or psychic about it. I wonder how it would be to see through other animals like that. Very interesting huh? The thought that they attempt to treat the sick is just amazing.

[AlienPet13]

11:31 PM on 11/14/2010

Another interesting thing to note on Cetaceans... some years ago, fossils of a cetacean ancestor were discovered as having the vestigial remnants of cloven hoofs. They are evolutionarily related to Cows! Theorists believe that they were once land-dwelling animals who migrated to the ocean! So if life started in the oceans, these creatures came from the ocean, to the land, and then went back to the ocean. Their evolutionary line goes waaaaaaaay back. That goes a long way toward explaining why there are air-breathing mammals in the oceans. Cool huh?

[Anne Duchard]

05:44 PM on 11/14/2010

Fanned and Faved!!

[PresidentRobertBooth]

02:27 PM on 11/09/2010

Brave soldiers
 
They deserve every happiness. Kudos dolphins and trainers.

[Lightwins]

01:42 PM on 11/09/2010

I wanted to send this video to people to share the inspiring story. But I don't want to send the horrible war movie ad along with it, so I am not doing to send it. Too bad that was included.

[SylviaS]

11:26 AM on 11/09/2010

Is this some kind of sick joke? A beautiful piece about dolphins helping the healing processes of veterans suffering from PTSD is introduced by a trailer of violent war images from the "Pacific"? Many veterans with PTSD would naturally be drawn to this article and instead of peace and hope they get to re-visit their horror. Somebody needs to be fired over this.

[Lightwins]

01:39 PM on 11/09/2010

Fanned. I thought the same thing! It is a reminder of what a war culture we have.

[Fretslayer]

11:12 AM on 11/09/2010

I grew up on a private beach (not closed to the public, but rather they didn't know it was there) and spent my childhood 'on the water'.

Having spent many, many years snorkling in the Gulf I had the good fortune to swim with wild purposes and they are some of the most incredible creatures I've ever been around.

When they look at you, they do it like when you look at them.
Not all animals have that - if you know what I mean.
You can feel them thinking about you.
It's beautiful and strange and something everybody should experience at least once.

I'm sure this will leave a very powerful impression on both the porpoises and the soldiers.

[Angie Daniels]

04:36 PM on 11/08/2010

This is a really cool video. Very uplifting.

[Angie Daniels]

04:31 PM on 11/08/2010

Dolphins are awesome.

[Anne Duchard]

05:37 PM on 11/14/2010

I think they are awsome too. Just great to share the planet with.