I used to think swimming in NYC’s rivers was only for Kramer from Seinfeld - quirky and ill-advised. Maya Merhige just proved me wrong in a major way.

Maya, age 15, recently swam 28.5 miles around Manhattan, known as the 20 bridges swim. She completed it in eight hours and 43 minutes. My arms detached from my body at the mere thought of it.

Maya is tough, though, and she knows some have it far tougher: “Whatever I’m doing in my swimming, or whatever pain I go through in my swims, it’s really nothing compared to the struggle that cancer families go through.”

She completed the feat as part of Swim Across America, raising money for cancer research. In the past eight years, she’s raised more than $60,000 with the organization.

🎶 If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere 🎶

Start spreading the news: I think it’s safe to say Maya can swim just about anywhere after conquering the Big Apple.

Kramer would be proud.

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