Jon Lien was once a respected researcher and a risk-taker, swimming into dangerous waters to save whales and the fishing gear they were trapped in. But now Jon's confined to land, living his last years in a wheelchair with brain damage after an accident and illness. The man who rescued over 500 whales around the world stretches his mind in memories of release and salvation. His powerful story swims backward through time, as he goes from worrying his wife and frustrating his friend, to being a reckless starter and adventurer, to lecturing university classes, to his very first encounter with a whale. Robert Chafe crafts a raw portrayal of the true story of Dr. Jon Lien, Newfoundland's "Whale Man," into a tale of perseverance, control, and compassion.