Penguin Who Overcame Her Own Struggles Inspires Kids With Disabilities
When Rosie, an endangered African penguin, was born at the OdySea Aquarium back in 2019, the staff were excited to welcome the new chick into the world and thrilled she seemed to be doing well.
As the aquarium shared on Facebook, Rosie was gaining a healthy amount of weight at each check-in and was right on track to where she should be – that is, until she wasn’t.
Eventually, the staff began to notice that Rosie wasn’t sitting up on her own like she should’ve been. A full veterinary exam revealed what the staff had begun to suspect: Rosie was suffering from some skeletal abnormalities.
The little penguin couldn’t walk on her own, and just laid all day, but staff were determined to not only help her survive but thrive.
The animal care team at OdySea created a “jump-a-roo” out of a baby onesie and some PVC pipe. With the jump-a-roo, Rosie could practice standing and walking on her own feet, and work on developing strength and balance.
It took a lot of time and patience, but eventually, Rosie began to take her own steps. Now, she’s walking on her very own and serving as an incredible inspiration to kids who have gone through a similar journey!
In a meeting on January 25, 2022, Rosie was introduced to a group of children with challenges of their own, such as autism, cerebral palsy, and other disabilities. Rosie showed them that she overcame her challenges and inspired them to keep pushing forward!
Check out Rosie in the news clip below: