Veterans honored at Miami Seaquarium

VIRGINIA KEY, Fla. (WSVN) -- Some of America's bravest men and women made were honored at a South Florida attraction.

Two families received a very special honor on Veteran's Day, Monday. Some unsuspecting members of the military received a surprise of a lifetime. "We were coming here to take in the shows, and we were approached by the staff here, and asked to see if we wanted to participate, and we gladly accepted," said U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Scott Werkmeister.

Miami Seaquarium honored the two families for their service by giving them the opportunity to get up close and personal with dolphins. "It was fantastic. I've never touched a turtle in my life let alone get close to a dolphin. This is a dream come true here," said U.S. Army Sgt. Alex Velez.

Werkmeister, who is stationed at Homestead Air Reserve Base, has served for 20 years. He, his wife and three daughters came to the park for some fun, but the complimentary Dolphin Odyssey blew them away. "We got a chance to swim with the dolphins. My girls had an excellent time. I really enjoyed this opportunity the Seaquarium have given us today," said Werkmeister.

Velez also received a hero's salute at the Seaquarium. He said it is something he and his family will never forget. "I served my country because it's the right thing to do. It's an honor being with my family," he said. "Enjoying a day like today, it can't get any better than that."

Miami Seaquarium senior trainer, Sgt. Lesley Kerr said, "We have a lot of people serving our country. It's nice to see the smile on everybody's faces."

The two families created memories to last them a lifetime. "It was amazing. I think it's something my girls will remember for the rest of their lives, tremendous opportunity," said Werkmeister.

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