PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Twenty-eight miles may sound like a long swim, but a local woman is looking to achieve it for a good cause: mental health awareness.
Her name is Tori Lackey and growing up, she heard the saying: "In the water, you can either sink or swim."
"I haven't thought about sinking in a long time, but I do have the phrase sent to me, and I say it in my head as I'm swimming long distances," said Lackey.
She calls West Palm Beach is home. However, her first real home was the water.
"When I was a toddler, my mother was a swim instructor at the YMCA. We used to play in the pool while she was doing swim lessons," said Lackey.
Swimming is her sport, but its also an escape.
"I have a mental illness, and I always have. As I've learned to care for myself, swimming has been a core pillar of my mental health care," said Lackey.
She battles anxiety and depression, and while some days are better than others, she overcomes every obstacle.
Now, she's turning her focus to a new obstacle, this time in the water.
"I am competing in what is called the 20 Bridges Swim, which is a 28-mile race around the island of Manhattan," said Lackey.
The race is part of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, and she's also raising money for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in West Palm Beach. So far, she’s raised more than $8,000.
Now for the fun part: She has a pretty lofty goal for the swim.
"I will not be taking any breaks tomorrow. They throw my water bottle to me and my food, but I will keep going, and if I need a break, I will swim on my back," said Lackey.
Tori, the WPTV team will be cheering you on.
