Darien-native Ali Truwit, a two-time Paralympic silver medalist, is hosting a charity swimathon on Sunday, which also happens to be her 26th birthday.<\/p>\n
“I have not focused on the fact that it’s my birthday really at all, except that I’m glad I’m bringing some joy into the day,” laughed Truwit.<\/p>\n
The last few years, she admitted it is not a day she has always felt like celebrating.<\/p>\n
Truwit was attacked by a shark while on vacation, and had her leg amputated below the leg on May 31, 2023 – which was her 23rd birthday.<\/p>\n
“The birthdays following have actually been kind of hard days for me,” she said. “There’s definitely moments of grief and sadness, and just remembering the loss, but there’s also so much joy in the fact that I have a second chance at life, that I have the opportunity to have an impact.”<\/p>\n
With that second chance, Trwuit won two silver medals swimming at the 2024 Paralympics, and has founded a charity called “Stronger Than You Think,” which supports water safety, the Paralympics and funding for other women and girls to get prosthetics. <\/p>\n
“When I get these applications to help other prosthetic recipients, I so deeply want to help, because I know what access to prosthetics does for someone, I really believe it unlocks us,” Truwit said.<\/p>\n
Sunday, she’ll be raising money for that charity with her second annual swimathon.<\/p>\n
“For my 26th birthday, I want this swimathon, I want this event,” she said.<\/p>\n
Some of Truwit’s friends will also be there, including five-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer Kate Douglass, who used to train with Truwit and Chelsea Piers, and fellow Darien-native Chloe Humphrey, who was the leading scorer in this year’s national runner up University of North Carolina lacrosse team.<\/p>\n
“I think it’s going to be so special, so healing, so fun,” Truwit said. “I’m surronded by love and support, I get to pay the love and support forward.”<\/p>\n
Truwit’s original goal was to raise $100,000, with a donor promising to match it.<\/p>\n