A Big Thank You

I am so grateful to all the people who have helped me cross the Catalina Channel! There are some specific people who helped me before and during my swim and I couldn’t have done it without them!

My moms Kim and Natalie have supported me in all my crazy endeavors for my whole life. They have helped my in all possible ways and it was amazing to have Natalie cheering for me on the boat and Kim waiting for me on the beach at the finish.

With Paige before the swim!

My support swimmer Paige has helped me navigate all things marathon swimming and also fielded my daily questions. Paige is basically my big sister and I knew that having her in the water with me and on my boat would keep me going even when I stopped feeling good.

My crew chief Rebecca helped manage all the logistical aspects of my swim and really got me prepared for everything. I know that my swim was successful because Rebecca was in charge!

Driving to the dock with Maddy.

My kayakers Maddy and Jax kept me safe through the whole swim. They spent hours in the kayak watching me swim and keeping track of my feeds. They were my only communication with the boat through the long night and kept me on a straight course. Maddy also supported me emotionally before, during and after my crossing.

The observers Dan and Linda monitored all aspects of my swim and I am very grateful for their dedication to the sport! I knew that while they were watching me from the boat, I was safe in the water.

Paige’s dad, Greg, also kept me safe by keeping track of any medical aspects. With him on board, I knew I was in good hands!

I have to thank the Smith Swimming and Diving Team for cheering me on the whole way. I know I had a whole team of Bananas swimming with me during the crossing. I especially want to thank Desi and Eliza for training with me and motivating me all through post-season and the Smith Distance Crew for inspiring me everyday.

I have had many coaches inspire me throughout my swimming career at TSM, Vistamar, and Smith but there are two I need to thank specifically. Coach Shari is the first coach who made me believe that swimming the Catalina Channel was something I could achieve and Coach Kim gave me the training and confidence to go and do it!

A big thank you to Natalie and Gino for all the early mornings and long swims! And to Tess, Serafina and Masury for putting up with all my crazy for so many years!

Finally, I also need to thank all the people from near and far who supported me before, during, and after my crossing. Whether you watched me over the internet, from the boat, or from the beach at the finish, it is thanks to you that I had the motivation, power, and energy to complete my swim. Thank you so much for reading my blogs and following my swim, I am so grateful and couldn’t have done it with out you.