The most senior participant at last weekend’s Swim Across America event at the Orienta Beach Club in Mamaroneck was 82-year-old Don Fowley, a resident at The Osborn’s Sterling Park Independent Living community in Rye. On July 20, Fowley swam an impressive 66 laps to complete the 1-mile goal and helped his team raise more than $43,000 to help fund cancer research.
“Mr. Fowley’s athletic performance is a true inspiration to seniors everywhere,” said Matthew Anderson, The Osborn president and CEO. “He represents the spirit of The Osborn community – vibrant people living an upbeat, engaged lifestyle.”
“I got to swim in front of my family, including three children and one granddaughter,” said Fowley, a former competitive swimmer from the Bronx who lost his first wife, Kathleen, to cancer more than 20 years ago. “That’s why I swim.”
Fowley, a retired food industry executive, has now participated in Swim Across America events for the past 27 years, which, as an organization, has raised more than $80 million for cancer research and clinical trials.
Proceeds from this swim will support immunotherapy research at the Swim Across America Laboratory at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, pediatric oncology research at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, and patient services with Cancer Support Team. For more information, visit www.theosborn.org.