Captured as a calf off the coast of Iceland in 1979, the killer whale who would become Keiko was soon sent to an amusement park in Mexico City, where he languished in a tank too small, in water too warm, received an improper diet--and was soon beset by a vicious skin virus. But after he starred in director the hit film Free Willy in 1993, Keiko gained international celebrity as the most famous marine mammal in the world. With the help of a dedicated team of environmentalists and the deep pockets of an eccentric billionaire, he was rescued and installed in a facility designed to prepare him for a return to the wild. He would ultimately return to his native Iceland where a team of keepers would attempt to release him, making the cinematic story that had captivated the world's children a reality.--From publisher description.