“I love the water. I’ve got confidence now.”

Recent Swim School graduate and SwimRVA Wellness member Pearl is a shining example that it’s never too late to learn to swim, even at 70 years old. Pearl’s journey at SwimRVA began after she had knee surgery and decided to start utilizing the therapy pool. After discovering that the water treadmill allowed her to comfortably jog like she once used to love, she felt as if she had “hit the jackpot.”

About a year ago, Pearl furthered her aquatic journey at SwimRVA by signing up for adult swim lessons to learn the techniques of swimming. Although her daughters knew how to swim growing up, Pearl’s own swimming skills were limited to treading water and floating. She reflected that had they gone into the deep end of their backyard pool and struggled, she would not have been able to save them. 

Pearl sites her grandchildren as her motivators to stay healthy, as she wants to spend time with them and watch them grow up. “I’m a grandma,” she explained, “That’s another reason why…so I can keep up with these grandbabies. They’re very active.”

After a few months of participating in Swim School, Pearl started to see results. She visited the Caribbean for her birthday and was able to enjoy the beach more. “I love the water”, she explained. “I’ve got confidence now.” Pearl’s daughters have even commented that she has become a better swimmer than they are. This past fall, Pearl took her grandchildren to Great Wolf Lodge water park, where they spent all day in the water. Due to her improved levels of fitness, she was able to keep up with them. 

Pearl’s dedication and success was noted by multiple staff members both on deck and in the water during her lessons. “She was very consistent, very sweet, and worked very hard to reach her goals.”, shared Swim School Instructor Heidi. “Pearl holds herself to a very high standard, especially when faced with a challenge.”, expressed Shane, SwimRVA’s Programs Manager. “Where others would express frustration, Pearl instead showed ambition. She was determined to not just do a skill, but to master it.”

Pearl officially graduated from the Swim School program this November; However, this isn’t the end of the road for her aquatics journey. SwimRVA’s PUPS program and Hammerheads Open Water Training program are still on the table, as she “wants to see more of the world” and manage swimming in open water. Navigating swimming outside of a traditional pool is a “whole different story”, she noted, after encountering both calm and rough ocean water on her latest trip to St. Maarten. 

Overall, Pearl is proud of her health. She attributes her dedication to frequently exercising as the reason that she is thriving, even noting that her health has allowed her to not have to rely on medications that her parents had to take when they were her age. With an upcoming knee surgery scheduled for 2025, Pearl is set up for a successful recovery and a continued positive experience in aquatics here at SwimRVA.