Floridians love their manatees. With a little patience and luck, you may see one floating through the brackish waters that run through Broward County. Wilton Manors venerates the beloved sea cow to the point they literally put it on a pedestal.

But now it is gone.

Officially titled Rainbow Manatee, the statue was taken on or around June 4. The artwork was ripped from its base and remains missing.

Local artist and community leader Claudio Castillo created the piece to honor her friend and former Wilton Manors Mayor Justin Flippen.

The statue was originally part of a larger exhibit, Mermaids & Manatees | The Art of Sirens and Sea Cows, in 2019. Then the city and Flippen’s family selected it to be installed at Justin Flippen Park, across the street from City Hall.

“The importance here is not the [monetary] value, it is about the act itself of someone taking a public sculpture that was for everyone in this community to enjoy,” Castillo said.

The work is more than a cool and quirky statue. Rainbow Manatee served as a low-key-yet-powerful symbol of the city’s values: inclusivity and love in a very South Florida style. To stand and look at it is to make you smile and maybe shed a tear. If you stare at it long enough, you may shed a tear, thinking of the man it honors and the love and care of Castillo creating the piece.

If the original is not found/returned, Castillo says she will get to work on a replacement.

“If the piece is not returned, I will custom paint another piece to replace it. The piece has a very special meaning for me since it is dedicated to the memory of my friend, the late City of Wilton Manors Mayor, Justin Flippen.”

If you have any information or video, please contact WMPD at 954-390-2150.