We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mandy Walker a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Mandy, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
Who am I and How did I get here
By MerMandy
Have you ever looked in the mirror and asked yourself, " Who am I, and how did I get to where I am now?" Your life
suddenly flashes before you, with the good and the bad all jumbled into a merge of emotions, trying to remember
what the original question was. Here you are, attempting to figure out how you got there, looking at yourself in the
mirror in the first place. I was asking myself those questions to write this submission. I stood in front of my own
mirror, contemplating my responses, struggling to type words about who I actually am.
You see, I am the type of person that, once you meet me, you will never forget. I am known to resonate energy,
spreading contagious bursts whether you know me personally or not. I greet every day with positivity and hope for
that day to be, if not just as good, better than the day before. Why? I have worked hard to get here, just as many of
us would admit!
My name is Amanda Walker, although I go by Mandy. I am a gay, single mother with two biological children, two
adopted special needs children (I only mention that because it explains a little parental dynamic), and two English
bulldogs. I'm a retired competitive roller derby athlete/coach/captain and personal trainer; an avid long-distance and
marathon roller-skate enthusiast; a business owner (www.mermandy.com); a Professional Mermaid Performer (30
years of performance experience); and a dual-certified PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors) and SSI
(Scuba Schools International) Mermaid Instructor. I am also a double-time enrolled student completing a Masters
Degree in Marine Biology Conservation (estimated graduation Dec 2025); a Florida Aquarium Dive Volunteer and
soon-to-be Turtle Conservation Campus volunteer; a sub-contracted Mermaid Instructor at the best dive shop in
Tampa, Adventure Outfitters (https://adventuretampa.com/); and an international athlete on Team USA for the 2025
Merlympics in Germany, through Tritons Cove International Athletes. Just to name a few. Do these explain
who I am though? I feel like all I did was just provide you with a list of WHAT I do, not how they define me.
“How do you do it?” or “Man, you sure are busy”, gets thrown at me often, and I simply reply, “I don’t know any
better” and that “the only way to accomplish a goal is to work hard and not give up, keep going”. Oh, and “stay
organized”.
Four years ago, following my divorce, I relocated with my children from West Michigan to Tampa Bay. A dream
destination I’d long desired. Trading snow shovels for sandy beaches, I arrived with no job but determination which
faced immediate challenges. Shortly after settling in, I shattered my wrist, forcing me to retire from my athletic career hobby of roller derby due to previous incidents and injuries, and lost my mother to cancer, compounding the grief of my father’s earlier
passing. Despite these setbacks and having only my distant snow-bird grandmother nearby, I found solace in water
activities. The bay became my therapy, offering an escape and joy amidst life’s turbulence, and helping me forge a
meaningful new chapter in Florida’s sunshine.
I started with Scuba Diving. Soon after starting my scuba adventures, I came across Mermaid Certifications. This
was a thing? Why did I not know of this? I grew up on a beach resort on a decent-sized lake just 10 minutes from
Lake Michigan. I think I spent just as much time underwater as I did above water and grew gills well into my 20s. I
had more bathing suits than underwear and swam comfortably with aquatic wildlife; turtles, muskrats, snakes,
catfish, you name it. Although it’s funny, I am deathly afraid of seaweed entanglement.
My childhood was far from typical. While neighborhood kids rode bikes on sidewalks, I spent my days at our
family’s beach resort, mingling with international guests and sharing stories around campfires. From dawn to dusk, I
was in or on the water; kayaking, fishing, skiing, and swimming. Instead of playing cops and robbers, I imagined
myself as a mermaid, splashing in the lake. My mermaid dreams even led to a comical DIY attempt at creating a
monofin (a fin that binds your feet together, the mermaid part) by duct-taping a breakfast tray to my feet – a hilarious failure I wouldn’t recommend, but one that foreshadowed my future as a professional mermaid.
Here I move to Florida after living life’s lessons thinking it’s going to be beach days and hurricanes, but found there
is actually a thing called Professional Mermaids? I was hooked! I not only took SSI’s mermaid classes all the way to
the Instructor level, but I then met Adventure Outfitters, who treated me like close family. I followed through by
becoming their first adult advanced PADI certified mermaid, then trained under the world-famous Mermaid Elle to
get PADI Mermaid Instructor Certified. I am very proud to have started my successful small sole-proprietorship: Mermandy’s Professional Mermaid Services (www.mermandy.com), where I teach individuals aged
6 and up how to be mermaids—how to swim, hold their breath, rescue, pose, splash, play, and blow mermaid kisses.
I was inspired by my children, who were watching the new launch of Disney’s The Little Mermaid and
Netflix’s Merfolk, all while begging me for mermaid tails to swim in. My heart skipped a beat as I imagined a rush
of parents purchasing online mermaid tails for their young children and hearing mothers’ cries as their daughters
faced down in the water, unaware of the risks or skills required to swim with their feet bound. I became a mermaid
instructor to teach, to prevent accidents, and to share my love of the water in what sometimes feels like a
dream. I have taught people of all ages (6+) who have described it as a “magical experience” saying I am “the best instructor they have ever had” and that they “never thought they could be a real mermaid”. It fills my heart with joy to create that experience and share it, especially with children. To spark something so mythical inside someone and make it real is unexplainable.
As I balanced my budding mermaid career, I worked for a company selling motivational speeches to schools. The
flexible, work-from-home position initially seemed perfect for my family life. However, after three years, the
company’s ethics took a nosedive, pushing unethical sales practices. Disturbed, I sought a management role
elsewhere, only to discover this new company was engaged in illegal activities, potentially implicating me. The
back-to-back encounters with unethical businesses left me feeling duped and questioning my path. It was time to
reassess my career choices, realign with my values, and look in that personal mirror.
What I saw was a little girl staring back at me, standing there in a bathing suit, soaking wet, wrapped in a beach
towel, and holding a turtle. That little girl was me when one day I approached my mother. At that age, most children
would tell their parents they wanted to be veterinarians or astronauts when asked what they wanted to be when they
grew up. I stood there in that towel telling my mom that I wanted to be a marine biologist. I didn’t even know what
that actually meant at the time; I just knew I wanted to work with turtles and water. She told me I couldn’t because
there were no marine biologists in our area. She was partly right; decades ago, biology careers near my upbringing
were limited, and marine biologists are typically saltwater scientists (Lake Michigan is freshwater). Although I
didn’t know that at the time, I remember her words clearly. As a result, I bounced from one college degree in
respiratory therapy to later earning a BS in Science in Interior Design. The only problem was that even though I
graduated at the top of my class, gave a pretty speech at graduation, and had an exemplary resume, the housing
market crashed and no one was hiring award-winning design graduates. Long story short: I ended up in Corporate
America before stepping down to raise my children for over ten years.
So here I was after these two failed positions, having an adult mental meltdown, wondering what the future had in
store for me because I couldn’t return to the design field without taking college courses again. Technological
advances had essentially rendered my degree obsolete.
I began reflecting on the possibility of actually going back to college, and after speaking with an admissions
counselor at Unity Environmental College, I found that I was accepted into their Master's program in Marine
Biology Conservation, now holding a 4.0 GPA!
You see, I am a goal-getter. I work with the power of three; after all, the triangle is the strongest shape on Earth,
right? So, I focus on short-term, long-term, and NOW goals. I tackle each day with one step, one goal, one idea, and
one job at a time. Don’t get me wrong—relying on my own business to pay the bills is one of the hardest things to
do, and I am still looking for job placement (wink! wink!). There are only so many hours in a day, and I am
balancing being a mom, a student, an entrepreneur, and also undergoing rigorous athletic mermaid training.
We now interrupt your regularly scheduled program for an announcement: Training is my passion! I’ve been
selected for TEAM USA by Triton’s Cove International Athletes to represent Florida at the 2025 Merlympics in
Wolfsburg, Germany in May 2025. As one of just two varsity athletes from Florida out of twelve nationwide,
I am so proud to be a US Merlympian! This is the most challenging athletic opportunity of my career, and I’m
determined to bring home a gold medal. The Merlympics promotes competition, art, and the sport of mermaiding
both nationally and internationally.
My personal mantras keep me focused and determined: “Work hard, keep going, don’t give up. Practice, breathe, and believe—YOUGOT THIS!”
I am thrilled to share that my adolescent daughter has also been accepted to the USA Jr. Varsity team. She is one of
only four nationwide participants and the sole Junior Representative from Florida!
We’re seeking sponsorships to support our athletic mermaid journey. The preparations for this international event are
in full swing, and we need help with travel expenses and training costs.
Your support would help us be part of this unique event that brings people from all over the world to immerse
themselves in the fascinating world of mermaiding. Please see below.
Self-reflection isn’t simple, but my journey boils down to unwavering self-motivation and mental health awareness. I
strive to inspire others to embrace life fully, set ambitious goals, and persevere through challenges. Known for my
caring nature, I uplift those around me, sharing the joy I’ve found in my own life. My passion is contagious—as you
get to know me, you’ll find yourself motivated to pursue your own dreams and live life to its fullest.
As I mentioned earlier while writing this, I struggled to figure out what to say. So, like many from our generation, I
turned to Facebook. I asked my friends to help me answer the question, “Who am I”? Thinking I would receive
generic answers like “a mother”, “a mermaid”, or “a student”; instead, I was showered with beautiful and heartfelt
explanations of how I’ve made a difference in their lives or inspired them. People from all walks of my life came
forward to express the impression I’ve made in their mirror. They didn’t just tell me what or who I was but explained
through their eyes how I’ve come to be where I am—how I’ve set big goals and pushed through skepticism from
others who said things like “Why would you do that?” or “You’re crazy,” defying odds and giving it my all.
A distant friend and past teammate wrote: “My 6-year-old often tells me what she wants to be when she grows up.
As a mother of many, you know how their ‘dreams’ change by the day. She’ll mention conventional things like
police officer, teacher, ‘in the army like Mommy and Daddy,’ firefighter, teacher again, librarian… then things that
make you cringe a little like ‘gamer’ or ‘YouTuber’… but she’s six! Of course there are also whimsical things
sprinkled in: superhero, fairy, penguin (?), but the one that always makes me smile is when she says she wants to be
a mermaid. She told me that she shared her dreams with some friends at school (including mermaid), and someone
told her mermaids weren’t real and that she couldn’t be a mermaid when she grew up. That made her feel very sad.
So, I said ‘Let me show you something…’ About 15 minutes after going through your Facebook page, magic was
reunited in a 6-year-old little girl: You can indeed be WHATEVER you want to be when you grow up… even a
mermaid.”
I sat stunned as tears welled in my eyes because at that moment, I knew how I wanted to answer the question for this
submission: Who am I? I am a MOTIVATOR who encourages others—someone who inspires all to BE WHO
THEY WANT TO BE. I got here by eccentrically living life and believing in myself even when things are
hard—and they still are most days.
I am surrounded by close friends and a tight-knit family—most chosen—who remind me of who I am even when I
doubt myself. Why? Because I do the same for them.
I am a mother, a friend, a neighbor, an aunt, a sister, a skater, a teacher, an athlete—a motivator—and… a real
MERMAID: I am MERMANDY.
Please consider donating to MerMandy’s Mermaid Olympics GoFundMe page to help her and Mermaid Ella with
their Merlympic expenses: https://gofund.me/23f68c37
If you are interested in sponsoring her and her daughter, please email mermandy2023@gmail.com. She will send
you an official sponsorship request letter.
Ready to learn how to be a real mermaid? Hire the best instructor in Tampa Bay! She will “swim with you all the
way!”
Discounts and group rates are available. Check it out at www.mermandy.com.
Do you have a special event or wish to have a mermaid to appear at your party? Visit www.mermandy.com and be sure to
mention VOYAGE Tampa for a special discount.
Follow me on Insta! @mermandy2023
Follow me on FB! @mermandy2023
Splash ya later!
MerMandy
Mandy, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Mermandy, I am local to the Tampa Bay Florida area residing with my four children and two dogs. I am a Professional PADI (Professional Association of DIVE Instructors) Mermaid Instructor, Performer, and recent member of TEAM USA, Tritons Cove International Athlete for the 2025 International Merlympics in Wolfsburg Germany.
I teach mermaids through a safe, fun, mermagical experiences that has earned me a 5-star rating and testimonies of being “the best instructor they’ve ever had” and that I make “dreams come true,” transforming ages 6+ from human legs to mermaid scales.
I have 30 years of performing background and love to splish and splash at fun events and parties.
Check me out at www.mermandy.com
Insta: @mermandy2023
FB: @mermandy2023
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source is my website www.mermandy.com
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
My Resilience stems from life’s lessons, and as time has progressed I have learned to treat people fairly and without judgment. I only hope they do the same for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mermandy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mermandy2023/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mer.mandy2023
Image Credits
credits to MerMandy and Submerge Photography