Florida mom goes viral for special bond with manatee named 'Paddle'

Florida manatee named 'Paddle' grabs onto paddleboard

Kendra Kay, 31, captured the moment when a manatee she's formed a bond with grabbed onto her paddleboard. According to Kay, the gentle giant seems to recognize her when she goes to E.G. Simmons Regional Park.

RUSKIN, Fla. - A Tampa Bay area mom of two recently went viral on TikTok after sharing her wild manatee encounters.

The backstory:

Kendra Kay, 31, paddleboards alongside manatees in her free time.

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Kay has spent most of her life living in the Tampa Bay area but says she discovered her happy place about five years ago. She describes E.G. Simmons Regional Park as a "hidden gem" that became her weekly paddle boarding spot.

"This enchanting spot is truly manatee paradise, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have experienced countless encounters with these gentle giants," shared Kay.

Some of Kendra Kay's videos have millions of views on social media.

Dig deeper:

She's named one special manatee, Paddle, after it seemingly began to recognize her.

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"Or perhaps it's just the intimate connection we share through our frequent meetings. Her gentle gaze convinces me she remembers our bond," explained Kay.

Paddle and Kay have a special bond.

While Kay loves having encounters with manatees, she puts a disclaimer on her posts that she never approaches or touches the animals because it is illegal in Florida.

The local mom says her love for manatees inspired her TikTok page, @Kendrakay_22, where she shares her paddleboarding adventures and manatee encounters.

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