Conn. paralympian raises $250K in ‘Stronger Than You Think' swim-a-thon
May 31 is a meaningful day for Darien, Connecticut’s Ali Truwit.
It’s not only her birthday, but for the paralympian, it’s a painful reminder of grief and loss. This year, she’s using her journey to give back and turning a day marked by loss into one defined by impact.
“My birthday has been a hard day for me these past few years,” said Truwit. “And the years moving forward have been just a reminder of the grief, and the pain, and the loss.”
Three years ago, Truwit, a former Yale swimmer, lost part of her leg in a shark attack off the coast of Turks and Caicos. May 31 marks the anniversary of her amputation. But instead of dwelling on what she lost, she wanted to focus on what she could give.
The two-time Paralympic silver medalist raised nearly $250,000 at her “Stronger Than You Think” swim-a-thon. The money is to provide resources to women and girls facing similar challenges.
“To be able to bring some joy into a day like that feels so special to me,” Truwit explained. “I look to those women and girls, and I’m so inspired every day.”
The feeling goes both ways.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Kate Douglass said she looks up to Truwit.
“Because when I think I can’t do something, I think that something’s too hard for me, or I’m not getting past this obstacle, I just think about her,” Douglass explained.
Truwit said she believes in her message.
“I think we all have so much more in us than we might think we do,” she said. “If we can open our minds to it, we will surprise ourselves.
The “Stronger Than You Think” organization aims to empower individuals with limb loss by providing financial assistance for prosthetics, funding life-saving water safety initiatives, and supporting the Paralympics.
From breaking news and local politics to art exhibitions, live music, high school sports, small businesses, and cultural events, we celebrate the people and places that make Connecticut unique.