Because she never gives up, Diana Nyad keeps chasing her dreams. At the age of 64, in her fifth and final attempt, Nyad successfully fulfilled her lifelong dream of swimming from Cuba to Florida. Upon completing the grueling 110-mile, 53-hour journey on Sept. 2, 2013, a breathless Nyad told the world: “I have three messages. One is we should never, ever give up. Two is you are never too old to chase your dreams. And three is, it looks like a solitary sport but it takes a team.”
Nyad will share those messages at our Closing General Session. Over the past 20 years, she has earned a reputation as a riveting speaker, combining dramatic storytelling with a natural sense of humor and a charismatic stage presence.
In the 1970s, Nyad was the greatest long-distance swimmer in the world, setting records for circling Manhattan Island and crossing the 102.5 miles between the Bahamas and Florida. As a result, she has been inducted into numerous halls of fame, including the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame. Nyad also became a prominent sports broadcaster, filing reports for NPR, ABC’s Wide World of Sports, Fox Sports, and the New York Times. In 2014, she appeared as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. In addition, she co-owns a fitness business (BravaBody.com), has written three books, and speaks French and Spanish fluently.