SeaWorld Trainer Mourned in Chicago

SeaWorld whale trainer Dawn Brancheau was remembered Monday for the "light" she gave to her work, family, friends and faith.

That was the sentiment of the Rev. Thomas McCarthy, who officiated Brancheau's funeral at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel on Chicago's South Side.

Brancheau, 40, died Wednesday in Florida after rubbing a 22-foot, 12,000-pound orca named Tilikum. The animal grabbed her ponytail and pulled her into the water in front of about 20 spectators.

The medical examiner says Brancheau likely died of traumatic injuries and drowning.

WKMG: Watch Trainer with Tilikum Before Attack

Her funeral featured inspirational songs, music singer Terri Lenz said was chosen to fit Brancheau and her fun-loving personality.

After the funeral, Brancheau was buried in a suburban Chicago cemetery.

According to a profile of Brancheau in the Orlando Sentinel in 2006, she was one of SeaWorld Orlando's leading trainers. It was a trip to SeaWorld at age 9 that made her want to follow that career path.

"I remember walking down the aisle (of Shamu Stadium) and telling my mom, 'This is what I want to do,"' she said in the article.

Brancheau worked her way into a leadership role at Shamu Stadium during her career with SeaWorld, starting at the Sea Lion & Otter Stadium before spending 10 years working with killer whales, the newspaper said.

She also addressed the dangers of the job.

"You can't put yourself in the water unless you trust them and they trust you," Brancheau said.

Brancheau's older sister, Diane Gross, said the trainer "would not want anything done to that whale."

The trainer was married and didn't have children.

"She loved the whales like her children, she loved all of them," said Gross, of Indiana. "They all had personalities, good days and bad days."

More on SeaWorld Tragedy
Whale, Trainer Play on Film Before Attack
SeaWorld Defends Serial Killer Whale
SeaWorld: The Show Must Go On
Ex-SeaWorld Official: Trainer Made Mistake
Dawn Brancheau's Last Moments Alive
SeaWorld Trainer Embraced Risks of Job
SeaWorld Dives into Damage Control
Trainer Has "No Fear" of Killer Whales
Tilikum Trainer Had to be Pulled From Jaws
Does Killer Whale Need a Lawyer?
SeaWorld Staff Saw Tilikum as Dangerous
What Caused Killer Whale to Attack?

[th9876]

CNN did a report on Sea World quashing a report by OSHA stating it was just a matter of time before someone would be killed by an Orca - that working with them was extremely dangerous. Sea World was able to get OSHA to take all of that out of the report. Sea World is really a lousy organization no worthy of one dime from anyone.

[thesevenveils]

Be Happy. How many people can say they were killed by an Orca?

[thesevenveils]

There have been no recorded human deaths by an Orca in the wild.

[JohnBoston07]

I was at the ?Believe? killer whale show just prior to the ?Dining with Shamu? event in which Dawn Brancheau was killed. The show was stopped for several minutes when the whales became uncooperative and began chasing/attacking each other. The show ended abruptly when the whales continued to behave aggressively. Why would SeaWorld allow trainers into the water with these animals just minutes after stopping a show because the whales were not "performing" as anticipated? This tragedy could have been prevented! SeaWorld says the show must go on! At whose expense! The trainers are a disposable asset, just as the whales are..... the price of doing buisness!

[CompletelyFrustrated]

The DID NOT allow any of the trainers in the water with Tilikum.

THere are thing s that I have read in other sources that CBS is omitting to keep their dish rag attraction. This whale was captured in 1983 in Iceland. He knows what it is like to be free. Now he is being used to breed.

The press seems to delight in delcaring this animal a kkiller, but the first issue in 1991 involved 2 other smaller whales. The idiot in 1999 does not count, this guy thought he could sneak in an swim with them, yeah right and this is the whales fault.

Who knows what agitated the whales that day, it could have been anything from a woman during "that time of the month", to him being upset as he was not in his normal tank due to rennovations or he may have just been having a bad day.

Oh and to the woman in the video - WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?!? If trainers wear wetsuits and have hours and hours of time with these animals what made her think she would be safe riding around in a bikini! Just plain stupid.

I love watching these whales and talking to the people about them, but they are still unpredictable animals.

Bless Dawn & her family.It is very few people that leave this earth doing what they loved - she lived her dream!

[all4science]

animals are animals......if you don't bother them, they won't come and bother you

[SIKCHUTNAY]

TAKE A WHALE OUT OF THE OCEAN..PUT IT IN A SOUP BOWL FOR TEN YEARS...MAKE IT DO STUPID TRICKS OR STARVE...WHO'S THE VICTIM HERE??

[dalemberte]

The world is grieving with this family. The acts of SeaWorld must be stopped. Though it will be little solace, hopefully this family will help stop this industry from it's irresponsible conduct which has gone on too many years.
As a person who grew up at Seaquarium (at the time it was one of only a handful of dolphinariums in the world, I can understand the fascination with these creatures. But the whale doctor, Jesse, lived in our guest house (he's been the Seaquarium's marine biologist doctor for nearly 20 years), and Flipper's trainer, Rick O'Barry, was a parent of our classmate, Lincoln. I can tell you we learned as children the horrible things that the industry must do to try and maintain the whales and dolphins because they are constantly sick from having to live in captivity. Their sensitive sonar makes daily life like a hammer to their head, all day long. Imagine being yelled and honked at all day, every day, year afetr year. Of course you would go crazy, of course you would react.
Sadly, only excellent lawyers in this wrongful death suit, which will out the industry's gross negligence that has been tolerated and concealed for far too many years, will bring about real reform. Just like cigarettes, corporate america only gives a damn when it's bottom dollar is affected.

[nearl451]

It's still news because the solution is to pretend that nothing has happened and hope the insanity stops.

[warsux]

this is still "news"? My neighbor's kid got bitten by a dog. Why isnt that on CBS? Considering all the war, devastation, greed and horror going on right now, they decide to focus on a woman who was killed while swimming with killer whales like it is some tragedy.

And we wonder why this country keeps getting dumber.