MARATHON, Florida Keys – A well-deserved swim with some inquisitive dolphins. That's what more than 40 wounded warriors did today after capping off their Florida Keys Soldier Ride. 

The celebrated soldiers swam with the dolphins at Marathon's Dolphin Research Center, where they shared playful flipper shakes and dorsal fin pulls. This treat came after completing a 53-mile cycling journey through the Florida Keys that concluded Saturday in Key West. 

"They pulled me around this lagoon and it's a mental and spiritual release," said Bill Hansen, a former Marine and Army National Guardsman. "A lot of guys and a lot of girls have come back from combat. They need that." 

Hansen said the Wounded Warrior Project and Dolphin Research Center provided an experience he wouldn't have sought on his own. 

"They said, 'Come here. We know that this is going to help you spiritually. We know this is going to help you emotionally.' And you see the joy on people's faces." 

Organized by the Wounded Warrior Project, Soldier Ride provides rehabilitative opportunities for injured service members while raising awareness and support for veterans recovering from combat injuries. 

The weekend ride took participants across the panoramic Seven Mile Bridge and along the picturesque Florida Keys Overseas Highway. Some riders used specially adapted bicycles to accommodate combat injuries including missing limbs. 

Mandy Rodriguez, CEO and co-founder of Dolphin Research Center and a combat veteran herself, said the marine mammals provide unique therapeutic benefits. 

"A lot of times we come back from theater with some anger, maybe some demons, and they're hard to shake," Rodriguez said. "The dolphins do make a big difference on a day like today. We come back with a lot of baggage, and these dolphins seem to unpack that baggage." 

The mission of Wounded Warrior Project is to raise public awareness and support for the needs of severely injured members of the military. The organization's cross-country and Keys bicycle trips provide rehabilitative opportunities for injured soldiers. 

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