New Zealand Woman Losses Legs, Becomes Mermaid (Video)

Nadva Vessey surely isn't the first person to dream of becoming a mermaid, but thanks to the folks at Weta Workshop, she may be the first person to truly have realized that dream. Vessey, a New Zealand resident who lost her legs as a youth, approached the company, which has designed effects and costumes for movies such as Lord of the Rings, if they might be able to help her swim like a mermaid.

The company complied, creating a prosthetic tail out of plastic molds and wetsuit materials. Vessey has been taking the tail for test drives around her local pool. Weta for its part, said it's not likely to construct another tail, but was more than happy to accept the challenge.