She was 16.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida announced some sad news on Thursday night: Winter the Dolphin, made famous by the Dolphin Tale films, has died. The bottlenose dolphin, 16, was battling a gastrointestinal infection, says the aquarium.

Caretakers said they noticed Winter wasn't acting like herself and lost her appetite on November 1. From there, they immediately began working to determine what was wrong. However, despite the "several life-saving efforts," her condition only got worse.

Winter passed away around 8 p.m. on Thursday. She was surrounded by animal care experts from across the United States.

"While we are heartbroken by Winter’s death, we are comforted knowing that our team did everything possible to give her the best chance at survival. We worked with specialists and marine mammal experts from around the country to provide her with the best care available. Our staff worked around the clock during this challenging time," wrote Veterinarian Dr. Shelly Marquardt, DVM, CVA. "I’m honored to work alongside such dedicated and talented professionals who gave their all for Winter."

The aquarium will be closed Friday to give its staff time to grieve this huge loss.

A memorial will be held for Winter on November 20, so expect details at a later date.

You can share your memories online at RememberingWinter.com.

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