Meet the Swimmers | Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim

Meet the Swimmers

Members of our swim team are adventurous open water swimmers who are on a mission to symbolically complete the tragic journey of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald and help carry on the legacy of the 29 lost crew members, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of her sinking in 2025. Their mission is also to safeguard mariners of today and tomorrow by raising funds to preserve the Whitefish Point Light Station.

Learn about these adventurers by reading the bios they submitted below!

Stage 1: Edmund Fitzgerald Wreck Site

Daniel Chaffin

Moorpark, CA

Joe Barr

Manistique, MI

My name is Joe Barr, a lifelong resident of Manistique, MI. I have loved the water all my life.

Grant Combs

Marquette, MI

Hi, I’m Grant, and I am a lifelong swimmer, open water enthusiast, and Michigan native with deep ties to the Upper Peninsula and the Great Lakes.

Tammy Lenarz-Carruth

Montevideo, MN

Hello! I developed a love for swimming as a child and would ride my bike to the lake from our farm whenever possible.

Cat Murdock - Marquette, MI - Did not swim

Dennis Crumpler - Union Hall, VA - Did not swim

Stage 2: Whitefish Bay Crossing

Joe Abrash

Detroit, MI

Beverly Hallfrisch

Traverse City, MI

Beverly grew up in the Sault in the U.P., where the sound and sight of freighters was part of the daily backdrop.

Lisa Kohler

Traverse City, MI

Victor Gutwein

Chicago, IL

If there's water, count me in. Preferably fully immersed, but if not then just get me as close as possible.

Stage 3: Sault Ste. Marie / Soo Locks

Elizabeth Healy

Portage, MI

Tracey Lawie

Kalamazoo, MI

I grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan and learned to swim at 2 years, but it wasn't until I started doing triathlon in 2013 that I truly started swimming.

Diane Melvin

Plainwell, MI

Liza Rusan

Plainwell, MI

Stage 4: Upper St Marys River

David Blake

Brownstown, MI

Eryn Drayton

Jenison, MI

Eryn is a 15 year old freshman at Jenison High School.

Sonja Dean

Kalamazoo, MI

Brandon Sundberg

Southfield, MI

Stage 5: Lower St Marys River

Christina Calvello

Ripon, WI

This long-distance swim is a new challenge for me.

Lori Jurgensmier

Fond Du Lac, WI

My husband and I have 3 beautiful daughters and a granddaughter. I work as a RNFA at a local hospital.

Lily Huber

Ripon, WI

Brita McCullough

Fond Du Lac, WI

Stage 6: Lake Huron Crossing

Nina Norris

Prospect, KY

Matt McNichols

Naperville, IL

Hello, I am Matt McNichols and I am proud to come from a family with deep ties to the Great Lakes area as well as ties to the Great Lakes & Midwest freight and transportation industries.

Jennifer Titus

Hayward, WI

I swim. Actually, I was born a mermaid and therefore, I swim.

Kelly McNichols

Honolulu, HI

I woke up one Sunday morning to an unusual text from my older brother Matt McNichols: “Do you want to swim across Lake Huron with me?” ... “Sure!” was my immediate reply.

Stage 7: 40-Mile Point - Presque Isle

Quinton Bernard

Allendale, MI

Hello! My name is Quinton Bernard. I’m a 25 year old from Zeeland, Michigan. I now reside in Allendale, Michigan with my wife and 13 month old baby girl.

Sam Lent

Evanston, IL

Sam grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and spent many years swimming on her neighborhood and high school swim teams.

Kalina Emaus

Omaha, NE

Koryn Avan Carver

Milwaukee, WI

I’ve always loved the water and have been swimming my whole life.

David Blake - See Stage 4 (swam 2 stages)

Brian VanderHoff - See Stage 10 (swam 2 stages)

Sunday Humphrey - New York, NY - Did not swim

Ben Christensen

Chicago, IL

Stage 8: Presque Isle - Thunder Bay Island

Michael Bell

Plymouth, MI

My grandfather worked on a freighter on the Great Lakes briefly following his return from WWII. He shared his love of history and of our great state.

John Leitner

Grand Haven, MI

Hello, I'm John Leitner and I'm living in Grand Haven where I grew up on Lake Michigan.

David Centner

Grand Rapids, MI

I am a 60-year-old lifelong Michigander (and Wolverine) who loves swimming, the Great Lakes, the lake freighters that traverse them, and the lighthouses that watch over them.

Sara Morgan

Duluth, MN

Hello, my name is Sara (Dickenson) Morgan. I was born January 10, 1983 and raised in Superior, Wisconsin the city where the Edmund Fitzgerald began its fateful journey from.

Stage 9: Thunder Bay Crossing

Laura Hall

Grand Rapids, MI

Laura Hall is from Grand Rapids, Michigan and loves the Great Lakes!

Laura Krebs

Alma, MI

Muffy MacKenzie

Ann Arbor, MI

Charlene Stade

Otter Lake, MI

Jay Nix

Bellingham, WA

Did not swim

Read Bio

Stage 10: Sturgeon Point - Au Sable

Reed Maes

Ypsilanti, MI

Reed Maes is a 2024 graduate of Washtenaw International High School in Ypsilanti.

Brian VanderHoff

Kalamazoo, MI

Brian VanderHoff grew up swimming from a young age and continued swimming competitively through high school at Rockford High School and one year at Calvin College.

Jennifer Shand

Chicago, IL

Jennifer lives in Chicago with her husband, 2 kids, and Great Dane, and spends her summers swimming in Lake Michigan.

John VanderSloot

Okemos, MI

When my high school buddy contacted me about the Edmund Fitzgerald Swim I thought, wow, what a neat way to commemorate the sailors lost 50 years ago!

Stage 11: Saginaw Bay Crossing

Gordon Gatza

Freeland, MI

My name is Gordon Gatza and I am not a swimmer. I have been a runner for years completing various distances.

Brandon Hillaker

Saginaw, MI

Mr. Hillaker has been battling mental health obstacles his whole life.

Miriam Nowak

Metamora, IL

Blake Andrews

Ann Arbor, MI

Hello all, Blake Andrews here and I am delighted to be a part of such a meaningful event with you all.

Stage 12: Grindstone City - Harbor Beach

Michelle Howard

Monroe, MI

I was born and raised in Middleville Michigan. I attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor,

Emilia Larson

Duluth, MN

Hi my name is Emilia Larson, I am a registered nurse, wife, and mom of two beautiful kids. I was born and raised in Duluth, MN.

Matt Baranko

Lake Forest, IL

I’ve always been drawn to the Great Lakes and have been fortunate to live in a community along the shores of Lake Michigan since 2008.

Ellen Tober

Paw Paw, MI

I've always loved the water, especially open water swimming.

Did not swim

See Bio

Stage 13: Harbor Beach - Forester / Port Sanilac

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Jacob Marsh

Dallas, TX

Ryanne Moroschan

New Baltimore, MI

I've been swimming in the Great Lakes as long as I can remember,

Brittnie Mroueh

Brighton, MI

Therese Weir

Imlay City, MI

My “story” is short. My swimming “resume” is even shorter. However, I have to say that although it’s short…it’s full of unforeseen amazing adventures and accomplishments.

Stage 14: Forester / Port Sanilac - Lexington

Cristy LaDuke

Holland, MI

Gillian McNeal

Duluth, MN

After an ominous entry to swimming by nearly drowning at Disneyland,

Kathleen Lawrence

North Fort Myers, FL

Jennifer Sierra

Holland, MI

Stage 15: Lexington - Port Huron

Jane Baldwin-Marvell

Ridgetown, ON CAN

Lisa Pickering

Cobourg, ON CAN

Noah Heilbrun

Bend, OR

Karen Kreusel

Dearborn, MI

Lisa Boggs - West Bloomfield, MI - Did not swim

Stage 16: St. Clair River

Ed Shumaker

Port Huron, MI

What will this swim mean to me and possibly others? First of all, my efforts in the swim are dedicated to Dick Stimson.

Sheila Fitzgerald

London, GBN

Sally Steinborn

Port Huron, MI

Growing up on the shoreline of Lake Huron in Port Huron, summers were filled with surf, sand and laughter.

Chris Totten

Fort Gratiot, MI

Stage 17: Lake St. Clair Crossing

Maddie Diedo

Dearborn Heights, MI

""Grateful, thankful, blessed."

Tracie Baker

Newberry, FL

Growing up in Ohio, Tracie started competitive swimming at the age of 2 and went on to be a Division I swimmer at Cleveland State University and academic all-star.