Fishhawk Ranch - Eden Sirene moves with an almost "otherworldly" grace. Eden, better known as Jenna Conti, feels at home wearing her custom made silicon mermaid suit. "It makes me feel amazing makes children smile makes adults smile, everybody happy, you don't expect to see a mermaid at the pool," Conti said. "I'm a 48-year-old man and I get a big smile on my face seeing her swim," said bob Abruszzese, a neighbor.
The problem is, the tale about her tail doesn't appear to have such a happy ending -- at least not yet. Monday, she learned from her community board that she cannot wear her outfit in the pools at Fishhawk Ranch. The Community Development District saying it's a safety concern, and that there's a "no-fin" policy.
Rules are rules, they say.
"This can't come flinging off in a pool like swim fin, and it's not made of a hard plastic," Conti said. "We love what's she trying to do, be kind to children and do something good for the community. We love her intentions -- it's simply that it violates rules," said board chair Terrie Morrison.
So it looks like this little mermaid won't be able to swim freely, but she says the silver lining is all the support she's received from the community. She says despite the setback, she still plans to reach her ultimate goal of swimming underwater at the Florida Aquarium. Perhaps then, this mermaid will find the fairytale ending.
"We just wanted to show some magic here in Fishhawk, that's all," she says.
