Diana Nyad inspires students at PS 185
Endurance swimmer tells kids, ‘Never, ever give up!’
Long distance swimmer Diana Nyad, who made headlines around the world when she swam from Cuba to Miami this past summer, was treated like a rock star when she paid a visit – this time on dry land – to a Bay Ridge elementary school Thursday afternoon.
Screams, shouts, cheers and wild applause from hundreds of children greeted Nyad, 64, as she entered the auditorium at PS 185 on Ridge Boulevard for a special assembly in her honor. Kids reached out their hands to her and Nyad high-fived several youngsters as she walked down the center aisle to a hero’s welcome. Once she got to the front of the auditorium, the trim and athletic Nyad jumped up on the stage, eschewing the stairs.
Nyad, who lives in California, came to the school after learning that the students had spent this semester studying her thrilling swim from Cuba to the U.S. She was invited to come to PS 185 by Principal Kenneth Llinas, who said he wanted his students to meet a real, live hero who could teach them important life lessons.