Whale show honors trainer who died

ORLANDO - Employees wept and audience members grew silent yesterday at SeaWorld as the theme park's popular killer-whale show resumed with a photo-montage memorial for a veteran trainer who was killed by one of the orcas in front of horrified spectators three days earlier.

The show had been shut down since trainer Dawn Brancheau, 40, died Wednesday after rubbing a 22-foot, 12,000-pound orca named Tilikum. The whale grabbed her ponytail and pulled her into the water in front of about 20 spectators. The medical examiner said Brancheau most likely died of traumatic injuries and drowning.

More than 2,000 people packed the park's stadium yesterday for the first show since her death.

The audience seemed thrilled, applauding and cheering as the whales zipped around their tank and splashed spectators during the show - with the theme of "believe," about a young boy who sees an orca and dreams of one day becoming a whale trainer. It was a fitting tribute to Brancheau, whose family said she always wanted work with the giant whales.

At one point during the show, a young girl was brought on stage and given a whale-tail necklace.

"I just wanted to be here for this show. It's so special," said Russell Thomphsen, 65, who said he is a season-ticket holder for SeaWorld. "This touches so many lives."

Spectators packed the enormous outdoor amphitheater despite chilly, rainy weather. The whale trainers received a standing ovation as they approached the platform before the show.

Several SeaWorld employees wept as the photo montage set to music was shown.

"It was very moving," said Molly Geislinger, 33, who came from Minneapolis with her husband and 21-month-old child.

But she noticed a difference in how the trainers acted. "They looked like they were being very careful," she said.

Indeed, the trainers weren't allowed in the water. Instead, they directed the whales from outside the huge tank's acrylic walls. SeaWorld has said trainers won't swim with the orcas until company officials finish reviewing what happened to Brancheau.