ramblings

The Real Little Mermaid

Posted Jeff

I thought I had seen it all and then a friend sent me a link. Straight from South America, I present to you a a real live baby “mermaid”:

Her name is not Ariel, it is Milagros Cerron and she does not live “under the sea, under the sea, darling it’s better, down where it’s wetter, take it from me, up on the shore they work all day, out in the sun they slave away, while we devotin’ full time to floatin’, under the sea!” She lives in Peru.
After the jump, read the entire story about her from Reuters. It’s fascinating.

Thanks Phyl!

Peru’s Rare ‘Mermaid’ Baby to Have Risky Surgery

2/2/2005 by Jude Webber

Nine-month-old Milagros Cerron — her name means miracles in Spanish — is one of only a handful of the estimated 1-in-60,000 to 100,000 people born with sirenomelia, or mermaid syndrome, to have lived more than a few hours, experts say.

For Luis Rubio, the doctor leading the Peruvian team that will cut her legs apart in Lima on Feb. 24, the past year has been a crash course in tackling a condition he had read about in textbooks but never expected to have to treat.

Doctors believe there may only be one other surviving “mermaid” — 16-year-old American Tiffany Yorks, whose legs were separated when she was a few months old.

Experts say sirenomelia is about as rare as conjoined twins but is nearly always fatal because most sufferers lack kidneys or have other complications.

“It is very, very rare,” said Prof. Pierpaolo Mastroiacovo, director of the Rome-based International Center of Birth Defects. “The presence of renal agenesis (absence or imperfect development) makes survival very rare and improbable.”

From the waist up, Milagros smiles and babbles like any healthy infant. Below the waist, her stomach merges seamlessly into her legs, which are joined all the way to her heels.

With her tiny feet splayed in a ‘V’, the impression of a mermaid’s forked tail is complete.

The bones of both legs are visible and move separately, “as if she wanted to get free of this sack,” Rubio said.

He took on Milagros’ case when she was two days old and is treating her in a City Hall-funded mobile “solidarity hospital” run out of old buses in a poor northern district of Lima.

‘TOTAL DESPAIR’

Milagros’ father, Ricardo Cerron, 24, appealed for aid when she was born on April 27, 2004, in the Andean town of Huancayo, around 200 miles east of Lima.

“I thought it was something horrifying” he said, recalling his reaction on seeing his daughter. “I was in total despair.”

Her legs have separate cartilage, bones and blood supplies, and she has one good kidney. Her heart and lungs are fine.

Milagros, who weighs 17 lbs (7.5 kg) and is 24 inches (60 cm) long, has a rudimentary anus, urethra and genitalia all located together.

Doctors will insert three silicone bags filled with saline solution between her legs on Feb. 9 and gradually add liquid to stretch the skin to cover exposed wounds once they are cut apart, centimeter by centimeter.

“I have faith it will all go well,” said Milagros’ mother, Sara Arauco, 19.

But Mutaz Habal, the doctor who began treating Tiffany Yorks when she was one hour old and helped pioneer the separation technique, said it was hugely risky.

“My only desire is to have another survivor,” he told Reuters. He said he did not know of any besides Tiffany.

Tiffany, who lives in New Port Richey, Florida, walked for six years after her separation surgery but is currently wheelchair-bound after an accident. “I have the highest hopes that (Milagros) is going to go on for a long time,” she said.

“We want to dream that she could one day run or ride a bike,” Rubio said. “But if we could just give her the ability to be independent, that’s enough.”

181 thoughts on “The Real Little Mermaid”

  1. I am trying to contact Dr. Luis Rubio or Dr. Habal who carried out the operation on little Milagros. I work for an orthopedic manufacturer in Orlando, FL and we would like to, if possible, assist in any way we can with necessary pediatric orthosis that she may require. I can be reached at the email address above. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

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  2. I am trying to contact Dr. Luis Rubio or Dr. Habal who carried out the operation on little Milagros. I work for an orthopedic manufacturer in Orlando, FL and we would like to, if possible, assist in any way we can with necessary pediatric orthosis that she may require. I can be reached at asahely@orthomerica.com. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

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  6. We think she is very cute and just by looking at her we know she will make it through get well soon lots of love peace xoxo!!

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  7. Hi, Im very sorry that your daughter is not doing so well with her legs. I really do like mermaids though, I hope she gets better soon.
    I hope she’ll be able to smile again, or live to make that smile. 🙂

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  8. i know its like a year later but i hape shes ok…because shes a stunner i feel really sorry for her i hope every thing goes as planed.

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  12. Looking at this picture makes me think of life more.. I really feel sorry Milagros. I pray that she gets all the help. Its a miracle from up above she is special. I hope everything goes well.

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  13. Looking at this picture makes me think of life more.. I really feel sorry Milagros. I pray that she gets all the help. Its a miracle from up above she is special. I hope everything goes well.

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  18. omg i feel so bad for the baby. but if the baby doesn’t live under water then how is she a mermaid?

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  19. i hope everything goes with you baby, the way i see it your a unique gifted child, i hope everything in life goes well for you.

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  21. Hey I hope everything went well or goes well. It must be really hard for her parents she’s a very pretty girl well good luck bye

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  22. Hey I hope everything went well or goes well. It must be really hard for her parents she’s a very pretty girl well good luck bye

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  23. Aww thats sad. I hope everything goes well. I sorta think she’s lucky, Ive alwaays wanted to be a mermaid, but I still hope it goes well…

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  30. There was an update on Milagros yesterday on the BBC News UK web site. Unfortunately, I cannot post a URL here because it’s considered “questionable content.” I found a link to the article at the bottom of Milagros’ wikipdedia page.
    She’s now 2 years old and walking after another surgery!

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  31. There was an update on Milagros yesterday on the BBC News UK web site. Unfortunately, I cannot post a URL here because it’s considered “questionable content.” I found a link to the article at the bottom of Milagros’ wikipdedia page.
    She’s now 2 years old and walking after another surgery!

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  37. well Mermaids do Exist shes absalutly butafule i wish the best of luck to her and hope that she can do things better to any ones expictions of her and will be able to do things that Doctors say she cant do or wont bable to do by her self good luck kido and hang in there

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  40. hello i am from new brunswick, canada. i think u have a very prity and unique little girl. i wish u guys all the best with surgery. i also wish the little one grows up to be proud of what she once was in life and becomes someone famous in our world.
    love morissa lutwick
    new brunswick, canada, xoxoxo

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  44. wow she is so adorable and i think that God will bless her years to come. Just let it be his will that she will get better. She is still the cuttest mermaid I’ve ever seen. what a cutie!!!God bless!!!

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  45. wow she is so adorable and i think that God will bless her years to come. Just let it be his will that she will get better. She is still the cuttest mermaid I’ve ever seen. what a cutie!!!God bless!!!

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  48. WoW!!! A MeRMaid BaBy HoW CUte! I hOpE THat SHe geTs BeTteR SoOn,And gEtS TO bE a FuLl GroWn WomAn ConGRats!!!

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  49. WoW!!! A MeRMaid BaBy HoW CUte! I hOpE THat SHe geTs BeTteR SoOn,And gEtS TO bE a FuLl GroWn WomAn ConGRats!!!

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  50. she is sooooo cute , all will go well and u will be able to walk freely my little angel, take care
    lots of luv adios
    BLADE

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  53. mannn thas crazy…..i’ve never in my life seen such a thing…whoa…my prayers go to the little girl and the other….i hope that she may waly to…..

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  54. Hi,
    When i see this pic of this baby it had brought tears to my eyes not know how lucky we are to have a child born with no birth defects.i how everything goes well for her and she get the chance to walk and do not have any complications in do so . I wish you all the best and god bless you . My heart truely gose out to you and your family

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  55. WHOA THIS IS COOL. IT’S SO IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE…I GUESS THO…HOPE THIS LITTLE GIRL CAN LIVE A HAPPY LIFE BORN LIKE THIS…IT’S PRETTY TIGHT AND REALLY CREEPY BUT COOL HEHEH!!

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  56. I am sorry for the baby. I hope that u get as much help as u can get to raise her up. she looks really cut and i love her with all my heart no matter what she looks like.

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  57. I havn’t seen any recent postings on how your daughter is doing, I hope the surgery went well. I think that you have a really cute daughter, I will pray for her and your family. God Bless,
    From Ashley K. of Oklahoma, USA

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  60. i hope milagros gets better!…REMEMBER there is a purpose for everything thAt happens in life=)BEST WISHES!!

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  62. thats so amazing that shes a mermaid. shes so buttiful. how is she a mermaid. is she fack i jist whont to now.what is her name.i hope shes all right.

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  68. I LOVE MERMAIDS!!! WELL I WISH THE BEST OF LUCK FOR BOTH OF YOU…AND EVEN IF IT DOESENT ALL GO GOOD PLEASE JUST EXCEPT YOUR DAUGHTER FOR WHO SHE IS…AND THANK THE LORD THAT SHE IS ALIVE! WELL…GOOD LUCK!

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  69. she is sooooo cute and pretty she is a special
    girl it would be sooo cool to be a mermaid
    only if u touched water im sooo sorry she cant walk can she swim? i would take it as a no)
    well best wishes xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxxxxxxxxxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

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  70. OMG I LOVE MERMAIDS PEOPLE THINK IM CRAZY WEN I SAY I NO DEM I DO IN HATI THERES MERMAIDS BUT IM A NATIVE AMERICAN SO DONT THINK IM HATIAN K

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  72. I love mermaids, I study them.I am one a pearlweeper they are mermaids thet can walk on land for 6 days then they have to get in salt water quicky before their feet feel like their walking on glass.They only have webbed fingers and toes.We got a little scales but we’re are 98% human and 2% mermaid.AND WE’RE ONLY SHY AROUND HUMANS.We can hold our breath for 57 seconds,Yall might think i’m crazy but I’m not.
    – k.

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  73. I think that the pearlweeper forgot to take her medication. Your daughter is very special and I’m sure you already know that. There is a reason in life for everything. Good luck with your family.

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  74. hey kid i am so sorry that ya got landed with those legs but i suffer from the same thing and i didnt have my legs seperated and im 16 nearly 17 and the doctor said i would only live till i was 4 so good luck growing up kiddo
    jymyma, USA.

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  76. oh,how cute …..she is so cute well hope everythink is going well give her a hage xoxox
    for me please …well hope everythink go’s well from here bye

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  80. she is so cute i hope shes ok iv all ways wanted to be a mermaid there beutiful like Milagros i just really want to be a mermaid anywayz good luck with milagros

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  87. that is so AMAZING TO SEE A BABY LIKE THAT is that real or not i cant tell ne evence to the mum and dad best of luck with the merimaied baby

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  89. Wow it’s cool said my brother, I say it very not real girl i seen a mermaid before when i’m have a picnic with my friends. When ilsa(friend) throw the frisbee and i try to catch it. It land on a big rock near another rock and a mermaid on it. ‘hi, Im Lily’ I said.Then she said ‘hi’ put her hand out ‘Im Alantica call me Tica’ then the cloud turn grey with a heavy rain. The ocean make a big wave. ‘My dad knows im on the suface again’ said Alantica. ‘what?, are you a princess?’ I reply.’Yeah, come here again in the rite time bye dear Lily’ said Alantica. ‘bye’ I resume. the end and it true you know!

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  90. SHE’S SOO BEAUTIFUL
    HOPE SHE GETS BETTER
    MY MOM AND ME FEELS SOO SORRY FOR HER
    MAY GOD BE WITH YOU!
    ILL PRAY FOR YOU EVERY NIGHT SOO YOU CAN GET BETTER
    OKAY BYE BYE!

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  91. OW!My cousin said mermaids are not real!NOW THEY ARE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    +

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  93. I love mermaids! I sure wish I was one,but I wonder what it is like when this little girl grows up I am going to ask her what it is like! God bless you child! I hope the docters can do something about it THANK YOU!
    XOXO!

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  95. that is well cool imagen if u were a real mermaid that would be cool so cool that i cat explan how cool it is it is that cool
    imagen haveing to be a merimaid

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  97. i think it looks real but isn’t she too young to be mermaids if she is a mermaids try to put her under the sea and see if she can breath

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  102. oh my gosh a real live baby mermaid i want to be a real alive mermaid dont you?! it must be scary though.its a bit like h20 and i want to be in h2o it is really cool!

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  105. Hi me and my family really hope that you will surcice and we belive that if god is with you then there will be a really big chance also i had a friend that her legs were like a mermaid also bur she got a really special doctor to help ther and now she is a normal girl like all of us and i hope that happens to you too!!!! were all preying
    From Bobby
    Get better Bless you xxooxxooxxooxxoo

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  106. WOW I HOPE YOU GET BETTER AND WE’RE ALL PREYING AND YOU KNOW IT SO GOOD LUCK I HOPE EVERYTHING TURNS OUT GREAT WITH YOU AND I ALSO HAD A FRIEND THAT HAD HIS LEGS STUCK TOGETHER TOO BUT HE GOT A SPECIAL DOCTOR AND HE IS ALL BETTER NOW SO I HOPE THAT WISH COMES TRUE FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    fROM Bobby

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  113. Hi my name is Brianna Banks all my life I wanted to be a real mermaid. So I hope you are ok . I was crying when I saw your picture .Because I wanted to be a real mermaid. Love, Brianna BANKS I am 8 years OLD. p.s.

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  117. hey that baby is not a real mermaid so i think you all should stop lieing because when that baby gets older she will realize that people felt sorry for her and that will probaly make her feel bad so i like her just the way she is!!!!!my name is jasmine bennett and i am 11 years old!!!!!!!$$$$$$$$********

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  118. i think mermaids should be free even a baby mermaid you should stop the surgery and bring the mermaid back in the water so she can go back home were she belongs

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  119. I have always wanterd to be a mermaid. How did you become so lukey? How did you become a mermaid? I always thought that mermaids had tails, well had scails anyway. When me and my friend Lauren always play mermaids and we get a fin cover and shape it as a mermaid tail! How do you walk? Dose your mum always have to carrie you?

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  122. Guys her legs are just stuck together like mine ahh!!! need more water thats better sorry ium just like a mermaid but im half mermaid because my mums a real mertmaid i cant wait to meet my dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  123. wow cool shes a little mermaid.but this is the thing that is strang i can sorda breath underwater and i can hold my breath 5 min. an 13 sec and i also get these weird things at my hip there the color of my skin and there sourda bumpy

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  125. I always wanted to be a real mermaid because you can swim underwater and see the sea turtles swim with the mermaids just like you, but i feel so bad for you right now.But you will be with your mom when you go to see her.

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  130. ive seen this on tv and i was amazed on this phenomena!
    i cant belive the things that happen in life
    to my conclusion i have sugested that maybe in the time when people toght mermaids were real
    someone must of been born like this
    and immedatly everyone belived what they saw!

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  132. I am really sorry for her. She is very cute. What happened to her is very strange i have never seen something like that never.I hope she will be fine soon.And i also hope she can run play and be veeery happy one day !!!

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  133. HI I AM REALLY SORRY FOR HER I DONT KNOW WHATS HAPPENING TO HER HER LEGS ARE REALY STRANGE I ALWAYS WISHED TO BE A MERMAID BUT AFTER I SAW HER İ CHANGED MY OPPINION I DONT WANT TO BE A MERMAID ANY MORE I HOPE THAT ONE DAY SHE WILL RUN PLAY HAVE FRIEND RİDE A BICIYCLE AND BE VEEEEEEEERY HAPPY.AND İ ALSO HOPE THAT DOCTORS CAN DO SOMETHING FOR HER I MEAN FOR HER LEGS. I THINK THAT HER MUM AND DAD MUST NOT BE SAD THEY MUST BE HAPPY AND THEY MUST THINK THAT SHE WOUL BE OKEY ONE DAY….. BYE BYEEEEEEEEE

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  134. hallow sir,
    i didn’t believe this because she borned with mixed with two legs. It is happened by deficiency. if she is mermaid child, she must look like a fish,what’s they have inner body with their bones and flesh and also outer body must have halfsize body like a man and another halfsize body must have like fish or must have upper body is like fish and another half body like man. This child borned with physically handicapped. i will pray the god about that child kindly cure her.
    Thank your for giving opportunity,
    k.s.n.Reddy,
    Hyderabad,
    a.p., India

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  136. OMG I FEEL REALLY BAD FOR YOU I HOPE THAT LITTLE GIRL GETS BETTER!!!
    BUT I THINK IS UNQUE THAT SHE HAS ALMOST FINS!
    WELL
    XOXOXOXOXOXO
    ~NIKKI~

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  137. To the person who said what a freaken fish that is just mean i saw this and i was speachles because i never saw this and on tv it came on first on the newspaper then on tv and it said that where it seesthe line there going to cut the legs apart and it showd again and they said it succsfully worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  138. how cute very cute i about to cry i feely so sorrty 4 her she is a beautiful baby girl xoxoxox
    :):( from natalie & kiki& nana

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  139. how cute very cute i about to cry i feely so sorrty 4 her she is a beautiful baby girl xoxoxox
    :):( from natalie & kiki& nana

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  141. hey i so wish i was a mermaid it would be so fun. i dont really believe its a disease i think its sorta an oppurtunity to become a magical creature no one has seen before. that is so awesome

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  142. i hope she’s alright she’s soo adorable dhhhhs i never thinkd about a little baby mermaide can not be live’d onder water gihhhhhs
    anyway ………good luck xox….

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  143. Hello.
    🙂 Watched attentively by big sisters Maud and Leah the newest member of the Norwegian royal family has been captured in homely shots used by proud parents Princess Martha Louise of Norway and her husband Ari Behn to introduce her to the world.
    Bye.

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  146. Well personly mu friends have a assigment and this is a perfect picture and she should be let free! THis is a discovery not a experiment to have surgry on!! omg you guys are stupid

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  148. OMG I wish i was a mermaid sooooooooo bad she is soooo CUTE but I feel really sorry for her i know its 2008 but i hope she is walking on 2 legs and she is ok.

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  154. I am so sorry! I hope the surgery came out okay. And it is so true! she is the cutest little mermaid! Though I hope not for long and she is still alive however old she is.

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  155. she looks so cute you should not do surgery on her because it will put her though a lot of pain and more crying .xxxxxxxxxx.give her my love from chloe.c.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  156. HI MY NAME IS KAYLEIGH AND I THINK YOUR CHILD IS AMAZING BUT SHE SHOULD NOT BE TREATED DIFFERNTLY THAN OTHER PEOPLE SHE IS SO CUTE DOES IT HURT TO HAVE YOUR LEGS PUT TOGETHER

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  157. cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! itz sooooooooooooo sad how she has to have surgery and stuff. i’ll pray for milagros and her family. can she swim? probably not if she’s young and barely walks. i wonder if she just wore skirts or something before… i hope she can live to tell her own kids about her exciting yet scary past. God bless you all! (including Tiffany, the other mermaid!)
    Luv, Rachel, minnesota, America ( also lives in china and africa, and has been to europe before and is going to australia!)

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  159. i hope she is alright but you will always be different and it’s a good thing so imbrace who you are. Why walk like a turkey when you can fly like an Eagle

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  166. you might think I’m crazy but I’m not. I’m a mermaid.I can hold my breath for 20 min.and I also have 2 friends that are mermaids (Olivia Hullinger,Victoria Saedah)full moons are bad luck for mermaids.-Mikaela Simmang

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  172. baby u will always be in our prayers . may GOD bless,keep,stay and be with u baby and your family.
    From:kimberly and kimberly and family xoxo

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  175. this made me cry becouse it it so sad that thoes few people in the wrold end up like this. I have a 3 year old daughter myself and it would kill me to see her in this condition. My heart goes out to this little girl. I hope the best for her and that she’s living wel and happy.

    Reply

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