Diana Nyad, the 64-year old who miraculously swam from Cuba to Florida just a short time ago, is at it again, this time swimming a 48-hour charity event in New York City for Hurricane Sandy relief.
At 9:00 A.M. yesterday, in the middle of a Manhattan intersection, Nyad jumped in a 120-foot, two lane pool. She is partnered with AmeriCares, a non-profit health and disaster organization, and has raised over $42,000 so far. In a Monday morning interview on the Today Show, Nyad said she did not want to forget those affected by Hurricane Sandy.
She isn’t swimming all alone either. Nyad has one companion—a dog named Roscoe who survived Sandy’s floodwaters. Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Lochte, along with fitness personality Richard Simmons, joined her in the pool yesterday. They’ll also be joining her today.
After this event, Nyad says she plans to do more creative and personal charity events to raise money for other disasters, such as tornadoes, terrorist attacks, and tsunamis.