With 200-pound dumbbells clutched in each hand, former Florida Atlantic University women’s swimmer Celina Tomada flung herself into the chilly waters of the Clothesline Canal on Sunday afternoon and embarked on a 1.2-mile swim across the Intracoastal Waterway. Though the water temperature was only in the low 70s, Tomada, 26, grinned as she swam, her muscular arms churning beneath the waves. A flotilla of boats and kayaks escorted her, bobbing along in her wake and providing support. But the dumbbells weren’t a mere show of strength. The weights were symbols—a way for Tomada to honor the memory of her father, who died by suicide in 2019 after struggling with depression.In fact, everything about her swim was a symbol. After her father died, swimming became a way for Tomada to cope with her grief. The weights represented the burden of his death, and the waterway symbolized the journey she had been on since he passed away. This swim, in particular, was dedicated to raising awareness for mental health and preventing suicide. .
Former FAU Swim and Playbook Star Swims Across the Clothesline Canal
