For most third graders, the summer of 2013 was filled with sleepovers with the neighbors, afternoons on the playground and summer trips to Disney World. For Abigail McLaughlin, however, the summer included an experience that few kids could say they had: swimming with beluga whales at SeaWorld.
At just 9 years old, she found herself face-to-face with one of the ocean’s largest and most recognizable animals. What began as a birthday present became a childhood memory she would carry with her for years.
Before getting into the water, McLaughlin watched the beluga’s perform in a show. From the stands, she watched the massive animals jump, splash and respond to their trainers’ commands. Seeing the show only made her more excited for what was next.
“I was so freaking excited and a little nervous,” McLaughlin said. “It was my birthday present and I remember I was counting down the days until it was finally time.”
Once she entered the water, that sense of nervousness faded away and excitement took over. The beluga glided through the pool as she watched from just a few feet away.
“It was just really cool to be able to see them that close,” she said. “They were HUGE, which was a little intimidating at first.”
The instructor guided McLaughlin through the experience, teaching her how to communicate with the beluga and giving her commands to give the animals. She watched as the animals responded to the cues, wiggling their tails and spinning in circles.
“I felt on top of the world,” she said. “They were just doing whatever tricks I told them to.”
For McLaughlin, the experience was more than simply watching the animals perform. She had gone from sitting in the audience to being in the water with them, interacting with the same beluga she had just watched from the stands.
At the time, she did not fully realize how rare or memorable the experience would become. She was simply a 9-year-old enjoying the birthday present she had been counting down to for weeks.
More than a decade later, the details of that day have stayed with her, from watching the show to stepping into the water and seeing the belugas up close.
While childhood memories can fade with time, some experiences are difficult to forget.
For McLaughlin, swimming with belugas as a third grader is one of those memories.
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget it,” McLaughlin said.
