Daniel Alarcón

In February 1995, it was announced to the world that Keiko would be leaving Reino Aventura for his new temporary home at an aquarium on the Oregon coast in an enormous new tank with cold seawater. Dave laid out a vision for Keiko's future, invoking the plot to Free Willy 2, which would hit theaters a few months later.

In February 1995, it was announced to the world that Keiko would be leaving Reino Aventura for his new temporary home at an aquarium on the Oregon coast in an enormous new tank with cold seawater. Dave laid out a vision for Keiko's future, invoking the plot to Free Willy 2, which would hit theaters a few months later.

That was Dave's ultimate plan, even if the last part seemed improbable at best. For Keiko's trainer, Renata, and many of the staff that worked closely with Keiko, the decision to let him leave was heartbreaking, even if they knew it was the right one. Giving him up was a kind of noble, even maternal sacrifice. That's how Renata saw it, which of course didn't make it hurt any less.

That was Dave's ultimate plan, even if the last part seemed improbable at best. For Keiko's trainer, Renata, and many of the staff that worked closely with Keiko, the decision to let him leave was heartbreaking, even if they knew it was the right one. Giving him up was a kind of noble, even maternal sacrifice. That's how Renata saw it, which of course didn't make it hurt any less.

Goodbyes are like that, especially when you can't explain what the future holds. You feel guilty, like you're betraying a friend. And across Mexico, a lot of people were feeling this way. They wanted him to stay. They wished he could stay. But letting him go was a sacrifice they were willing to make because they loved him and they wanted what was best for him.

Goodbyes are like that, especially when you can't explain what the future holds. You feel guilty, like you're betraying a friend. And across Mexico, a lot of people were feeling this way. They wanted him to stay. They wished he could stay. But letting him go was a sacrifice they were willing to make because they loved him and they wanted what was best for him.

Which is why it was so offensive to Renata and many others I talked to to hear how the story was being told in the U.S. that Keiko was being saved from a terrible life in Mexico. Do you feel like there was an element of like, ah, Mexico, you know how things are down there?

Which is why it was so offensive to Renata and many others I talked to to hear how the story was being told in the U.S. that Keiko was being saved from a terrible life in Mexico. Do you feel like there was an element of like, ah, Mexico, you know how things are down there?

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

A few days before Keiko was scheduled to leave Mexico, the Reino Aventura staff threw him one last party, a kind of final spring break bash. Everyone was invited, current trainers, former staff, all of Keiko's friends, his extended human pod.

A few days before Keiko was scheduled to leave Mexico, the Reino Aventura staff threw him one last party, a kind of final spring break bash. Everyone was invited, current trainers, former staff, all of Keiko's friends, his extended human pod.

Wait a second. So you're telling me, Renata, that like 30 people got in the pool with Keiko at the same time to play?

Wait a second. So you're telling me, Renata, that like 30 people got in the pool with Keiko at the same time to play?

On January 6th, 1996, it was time for Keiko to go. They decided to move him in the middle of the night for a few reasons. To avoid the heat and the traffic, but also the crowds that were sure to want to say their goodbyes. Moving any object as big as a killer whale is an engineering problem. But when that object is a living thing, there's an added complication.

On January 6th, 1996, it was time for Keiko to go. They decided to move him in the middle of the night for a few reasons. To avoid the heat and the traffic, but also the crowds that were sure to want to say their goodbyes. Moving any object as big as a killer whale is an engineering problem. But when that object is a living thing, there's an added complication.

Getting Keiko out of Reino Aventura and onto a plane would depend in no small measure on the cooperation of Keiko himself. And that required training. For months, they'd worked on it with him. First, he'd swim into a small, shallow pool, and then into a custom-made sling, swimming in and out of it, weeks spent just getting comfortable with his process.

Getting Keiko out of Reino Aventura and onto a plane would depend in no small measure on the cooperation of Keiko himself. And that required training. For months, they'd worked on it with him. First, he'd swim into a small, shallow pool, and then into a custom-made sling, swimming in and out of it, weeks spent just getting comfortable with his process.

He had to be comfortable because once he was in that sling, he'd stay wrapped in it for at least 14 hours. The challenge would be to keep him calm. He had to trust his humans, not fight or flail. Trust. The night of the move, it's noisy and chaotic. I've seen the videos and it's just manic. It doesn't look like an aquarium or even an amusement park. It looks like a construction site.

He had to be comfortable because once he was in that sling, he'd stay wrapped in it for at least 14 hours. The challenge would be to keep him calm. He had to trust his humans, not fight or flail. Trust. The night of the move, it's noisy and chaotic. I've seen the videos and it's just manic. It doesn't look like an aquarium or even an amusement park. It looks like a construction site.