I became involved with Swim Across America several years ago, after I met my wife, Kristin. Back then, I could have never predicted how close to home the Swim Across America organization would become. My father-in-law, Jim Sirignano, began participating when his brother Paul was diagnosed with Ocular Melanoma, passing away in 2010. In July of 2017, shortly after I met Kristin and her family, her grandfather Tom passed away from Esophogeal Cancer. In February of 2018, Kristin's uncle passed from Small Intestine Cancer, and later that year, we lost her aunt JoAnn to Lepto Meningeal Disease after battling Hodgkins. 

I began my participation as a volunteer kayaker, then quickly converted to a swimmer. I am a runner at heart, and swimming long distances did not come naturally. It was extraordinarily difficult, and that was the point. Each year I would attend the swim, and afterwards we would listen to the doctors and research teams discuss the work they had done in the prior year and the advancements they had made in part due to the funds contributed by SAA. I didn't know it years ago, but one of those doctors, Dr. Jedd Wolchuck, a medical oncologist who specializes in melanoma at Sloan Kettering, would be leading the team of doctors who treated my dad, Tom, until his passing in March of 2020.

My dad was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in February of 2020, and lost his battle less than two months later. He was an incredibly strong man, and the anchor of our family. I dont have many words to describe this feeling of loss, but I do know that Dr. Wolchuck and his team at Sloan Kettering gave my dad the absolute best chance of beating the disease. My dad understood the incredible work they were doing and wanted to support Swim Accross America if he had been able to. 

Please support us in helping fund the incredible medical and research teams that work tirelessly to find