 |
Nadya VesseyA New Zealand woman with a mermaid tail instead of legs
Country:
 New Zealand |
Content:
- A New Zealander with a Mermaid's Tail instead of Legs
- A Child's Question Inspires an Idea
- Weta Workshop's Ingenious Creation
- A Custom-Made Tail for a Special Client
- A Tailored Design for Underwater Grace
- Weta Workshop's Joy in Making Dreams Come True
- A Labor of Love for the Weta Workshop Team
- Inspirations for Future Endeavors
A New Zealander with a Mermaid's Tail instead of Legs
A woman with a disability has 'grown' a mermaid's tail that allows her to swim freely in the ocean. Nadia Vessey, now in her early 50s, was born with a condition that prevented her legs from developing properly. She started swimming at the age of seven when one of her legs had to be amputated. By the age of sixteen, she had lost her other leg, but this didn't stop her from competing in swimming events in high school.
A Child's Question Inspires an Idea
One day, a young boy approached Vessey and asked what had happened to her legs. The idea of having her own 'mermaid's tail' came to Vessey, and she wrote to the Oscar-winning Weta Workshop, responsible for stunning special effects in movies like 'The Lord of the Rings', 'The Chronicles of Narnia', and 'King Kong'.
Weta Workshop's Ingenious Creation
To Vessey's surprise, they responded and engineered a prosthetic tail made from a wetsuit material and sculptured molds. "I had never had any fantasy or wish to become a mermaid," Vessey said. "I'm still learning to adjust to it because it requires a different swimming technique."
A Custom-Made Tail for a Special Client
Vessey requested a tail that was both practical and beautiful. It took six months for engineers and costumers to create her dream. The Weta Workshop even sent her a detailed blueprint of how the prosthetic would be made.
A Tailored Design for Underwater Grace
Vessey's tail is unique in its design, allowing her to move through water with the undulating movements of a true mermaid. It features a polycarbonate spine and tail fluke, and its scales were digitally printed according to a concept artist's design from Weta Workshop.
Weta Workshop's Joy in Making Dreams Come True
Costume designer Lee Williams said, "It's just awesome. It's beautiful to watch her swim, to see her dream come true, and to know that you've played a part in that. It makes me feel quite blessed."
A Labor of Love for the Weta Workshop Team
Weta Workshop head Richard Taylor, who is accustomed to Oscars for his film effects, was equally delighted. "Nadia was very patient," Taylor said. "We don't always get to do some of the inquiries that come to us. But we got onto this one pretty quickly because it was a real challenge."
Inspirations for Future Endeavors
Vessey is currently considering using her tail to compete in the swimming leg of the classic triathlon distance. "I used to think of it as just a bit of fun, but it's gone so much further than that," she said. Vessey has also submitted an application to compete at the Paralympics, but officials are still debating whether the use of the tail contravenes the regulations.
