For years, “06880” has been a Liz Fry fan.
The 1976 Staples High School graduate — who is as low-key as she is accomplished, so we would never have heard about this from her — made the Guinness World Record Book as the oldest person to swim the Ocean Seven.
That is no walk in the park. It’s a stupefying long-distance swim challenge, in some of the most difficult bodies of water in the world: the North Channel, Cook Strait, Molokai Channel, English Channel, Catalina Channel, Tsugaru Channel and Strait of Gibraltar.
Liz Fry, in action.
Liz — who swam her way into the record book at 60 years old — is not a professional swimmer. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut and a master’s from Fordham, and works with global markets on tax initiatives.
But that’s not why the soft-spoken, unassuming swimmer is today’s Unsung Hero.
The nomination comes from one of her many fans. She doesn’t tout her work with Swim Across the Sound.
So Nancy Saipe will.
Liz Fry, out of the water.
The annual event — held last weekend — involves nearly 200 swimmers raising money (typically $300,000) for underserved cancer patients in the Bridgeport area.
“She volunteers all of her time to run an incredibly safe and fun swim,” Nancy says.
“She gets the whole community involved: swimmers, boat captains, kayak escorts, police, EMTs, the Coast Guard. On land, there are lot of others: timers, traffic directors, photographers and more.”
Last year and this, Liz inspired Nancy. She marvels that high school students, college students, grandparents — “everyone cheers each other on, due to the welcoming environment Liz creates.” Many participants are from Westport.
Some swimmers complete the 15 miles solo. Most are on relay teams, of 2 or more people. The University of Connecticut, Lehigh and Marist form teams; so does the Westport Westport Family YMCA Water Rats. Some families make teams.
Liz Fry (Photo courtesy of New York Daily News)
“Liz ensures that anyone who is passionate (and qualified) can swim on a team,” Nancy says.
“She is so enthusiastic about all the people involved. And she is so dedicated to raising money for cancer patients.”
Congratulations, Liz, on a job not easily — but very well — done. You are “06880”‘s well-deserved Unsung Hero of the Week!
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email 06880blog@gmail.com)
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