A BIG Swim to Finish her Competitive Swim Career

Photos and Story submitted by Arlene Hills

On Friday August the 10th Stephanie Hermans, a U of G swimmer (who graduated in June 2007) swam across Lake Ontario. The swim started in Niagara on the lake and ended at Marilyn Bell park in Toronto. It is 50.5Km across and it took Stephanie 18 hours and 5 minutes. I went along as one of 9 pacers who took turns swimming with Stephanie. It was an unbelievable experience and something I won’t ever forget. Stephanie was scheduled to start her swim on August 9th but the swim was rescheduled because the waves were 10 feet high.

Arlene, on left, in support boat

They postponed the swim 24 hours and when Stephanie started her Swim at 9pm the next night the lake was flat and 79 degrees. I was on a boat with three other pacers and after watching the first hour of Steph’s swim as the sun went down, we went to bed. When we woke up at 6am Steph was still swimming. She had been swimming all night alone, in waves 2 and 3 feet high, following the beam of a flash light that was suspended over her from a zodiac. It was truly a remarkable sight to see her fighting her way through those waves.

Arlene entering the early morning cold water as pacer for Stephanie

One by one the pacers took their turn swimming with Stephanie, matching her stroke and communicating on nutrition breaks. Stephanie’s spirits remained high throughout the swim. By 10am the lake calmed down and when she was told she had only 5 miles left she threw her arms in the air and yelled “hooray”! Only 5 miles….after swimming 25! Stephanie swam through the break wall and touched the wall in Marilyn Bell park. She didn’t waste any time climbing out on the ladder and was met with media and microphones almost immediately.

Stephanie leading with pacer behind

Stephanie’s swim was a personal victory for her. It was more than that. It was a testimony to her strength and the importance of family. Her family supported her throughout all the organizing and training and without them I don’t know if the swim would have been possible. Stephanie swam for herself and for her twin sister Sarah who was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes 4 years ago. She raised over $8000 dollars for JDRF and hopefully a lot more awareness of the disease. After participating in Stephanie’s swim I continue to be amazed by what people can accomplish when they put their minds to it!