Wish Comes to Life for Four Florida 'Mermaids'

At 75, Arlene Brooks still feels the pull of Weeki Wachee Springs.

In 1967, right after graduating from high school, she was hired to be part of the legendary mermaid troupe that has enchanted visitors with underwater performances at the natural spring since 1947. She was there for eight months before ear problems forced her to stop — but the experience had a lasting impact.

“There’s something magical about that water,” says Brooks, who lives in Arcadia, about an hour north of Fort Myers.

Thanks to Wish of a Lifetime, a charitable affiliate of AARP, Brooks and four other former mermaids came together in July at Weeki Wachee Springs for another swim. The members came from around the nation: Brooks; Cheryl Wood of Skyforest, California; Donna Paul of Newberg, Oregon; Jo McCoy of Richmond Hill, Georgia; and Ruth Greening of Olympia, Washington. Since 2008, Wish of a Lifetime has granted more than 3,000 wishes to adults 65 and older, helping them reconnect with people, places and passions that shaped their lives.

Brooks saw her first Weeki Wachee show at age 13 and dreamed of joining the troupe. In her senior year, she wrote the company about mermaid tryouts, was invited to audition — and was offered the job.

After battling soft tissue sarcoma in her arm last year, Brooks wasn’t sure she’d ever return to the springs. That made the recent visit even more special.

“When I get in that water,” Brooks says, “all the time that’s passed disappears.”

The visit provided a chance to reconnect with women who had formed a special bond doing something they loved. Brooks had lifelong friendships with several of her “mer sisters.”

“The saying is, ‘Once a mermaid, always a mermaid,’ ” she says.

—Stacey Shepard