On September 17, 2025, I became the first to complete a 17-mile open-water swim around Lake Wawasee. Nine hours and 20 minutes of endurance, hypothermia, and pure grit — cheered on by over 300 people from docks and boats. This Lap the Lake journey is more than a swim — it’s the beginning of my book, Beyond the Buoy, a mile-by-mile story of pushing past limits and making history.

Buttermilk Point → Fish Hatchery → Griffiths Marina → Natti Crow Beach → Enchanted Hills As I powered around the east side of Lake...

. The south shore was a grind of silence, weeds, and whispers of doubt.

The dock was cold. The water colder. One kiss, one breath — and I slipped into the silence of Lake Wawasee.

Last week brought me to my knees. An upper respiratory infection hit me like a full-body shutdown—coughs, migraines, body aches, and endless mucus that left me feeling defeated and terrified I was losing everything I’d built. Each day out of the water felt like confidence slipping away.