When a Crisis Clings Like an Octopus: Lessons in Failed Empathy from the San Antonio Aquarium

On July 14, 2025, a six-year-old boy named Leo left the San Antonio Aquarium with more than just memories. After interacting with a giant Pacific octopus named Cthulhu, he went home with visible bruises and a frightening story. What could have been a small, manageable incident turned into a much bigger problem—not because of what happened in the tank, but because of how the aquarium chose to talk about it afterward.