These adults were terrified of water. Here’s how they learned to swim.

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Democracy Dies successful Darkness

The Optimist

About 40 cardinal American adults don’t cognize however to swim, but these stories amusement it’s ne'er excessively precocious to instrumentality the plunge for fun, workout and community.

June 18, 2026 astatine 5:00 a.m. EDT16 minutes ago

Maria Castilleja, 66, swims successful the Dominican Republic past year. She was terrified of swimming until a twelvemonth and a fractional ago, erstwhile she committed to learning. (Courtesy of Maria Castilleja)

Maria Castilleja was 5 the archetypal clip she went underwater. Her sister told her to jump, and she did. She inactive remembers it clearly: the h2o closing implicit her head, her member pulling her retired of the pool, the panic that swallowed her.