A lot of athletes have this sort of invincibility: [The jellyfish] should worry about me. I don't worry about them. I'll just swim right through them.

This journey has always been about reaching your own other shore no matter what it is, and that dream continues.

The integrity and self-esteem gained from winning the battle against extremity are the richest treasures in my life

A lot of athletes have this sort of invincibility: [The jellyfish] should worry about me. I don't worry about them. I'll just swim right through them.

But for each of us, isn't life about determining your own finish line?

The mantra I used was 'find a way.'

From age eleven to age sixteen I lived a spartan life without the usual adolescent uncertainty. I wanted to be the best swimmer in the world, and there was nothing else.