The Inflatable T-Rex: Coming to a city nearest you

For good reason, there are no warning signs for T-Rex sightings on the strand. The same goes for unicorns.

Or at least not yet.

While it may seem silly or even impossible that a prehistoric and/or fictional creature could be roaming the South Bay, it is 2020.

Insert the Redondo Rex.

The South Bay resident, who has chosen to keep her identity a secret, started her plight to spread positivity on the weekend before Halloween.

Suiting up in an inflatable dinosaur costume, equipped with her walking shoes and sometimes her kids, she started doing her daily neighborhood walks as the new dinosaur on the block.

“I thought maybe spreading joy to others and having some human interaction might help with my depression and anxiety,” she said.

For the most part, she says it has. Noticing the smiles and waves she got as her new persona, she committed to walking at least once a day, sometimes twice, for an hour at a time.

Posting about her treks on the official @RedondoRex Instagram page, she happily showcased sights such as a T-Rex walking a dog and pushing a stroller.

Decked out in her unusual PPE (personal protection equipment), she hugs and takes pictures with children and seniors, without jeopardizing either party’s safety.

“I love it when the kids run up [to me],” she said. “The car honks and people yelling [to] me really added some fun to my day.”

And eventually tired of wearing the same daily fossilized ensemble, her friends provided a more mythical option.

A unicorn.

Now switching between the two, she goes through four double A batteries a day, just to power the small fans in her disguises. But regardless of the species, the former pediatric nurse bakes in the polyester outfit, sometimes fogging up the masks and making it impossible to see.

So she employed the help of an escort. Her name is Lisa.

And since she might soon join her friend in her inflatable shenanigans, she is keeping her last name a secret.

Together the two walk up and down local avenues in Redondo Beach with Lisa—who is a geriatric nurse—pointing out uneven spots of pavement, helping her cross the street, and dictating when to “wave right” or “wave left.”

Along with being her eyes, she also serves as her hype-man, talking to those that stop for a photo and yelling “unicorn crossing” to passersby.

“It’s kind of therapeutic for me,” said Lisa. “The whole thing for us is to just share a smile.”