In my first swimming crossing I almost gave up: I was saved by a guy who never even knew it

When I was a child and later teenager, I admired the swimming, but never had the opportunity to attend a school and much less a club with swimming pool. I learned to swim as boys of my age and my time here in Florianopolis, on their own beaches of Ilha de Santa Catarina.

Later I studied BA in Physical Education was always clad in sports, but swimming has always been my weak point.

After graduating, my professional life and some choices I made, I became very sedentary and also smoked cigarettes for many years. But a few years ago, decided to change my lifestyle. I quit smoking and started to swim every day as a way to get exercise without hurting my knees because I had also won a kilos extras.

Encouraged by friends and students of UFSC I make my first voyage of 1500 and early swam stronger than it should and when I got to the first buoy at 500 m was extremely tired and I held the rope that was tied to it. Then I thought about asking to pull me to the beach. I saw it pass me by a man who swam the laps giving with one arm (he lost the mouvment in an accident). Then at that point, I learned another lesson: If despite enormous difficulties, the man went to complete that test by swimming with one arm, how can I with two arms and two legs would quit. So I loosened the rope and kept swimming until you complete that test and I never stopped to swim ...

Sometimes I tell this story to encourage anyone in swimming, or upon some difficulties in life. The other day I told Léia, and she prepared travessias.com of a surprise that left me speechless and I could not tell this story at the time. She called me to deliver the medals in an awards where he was the athlete who had served as a stimulus for me. It was an honor, a pleasure and a great emotion!

Here is a picture of the moment. The name of the athlete who gave me this lesson in perseverance is Marcos Aurélio Gonçalves third place in the photo, who I'm hugging.