Perspectives Winter/Spring 2019

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | 11 water initially took my breath away, but after a few minutes, it improved.” Andreades said he felt confident his wet suit would protect him from the frigid water, and that he was physically prepared for the race. He was concerned, however, about how the swift currents were going to affect his performance. While successfully fighting the currents and stay- ing on course, the next challenge was to get to a mid- way point before the strong tide reversed. He had 30 minutes to do so. Any swimmer who failed to accom- plish this would be picked up by a rescue boat and be disqualified. To avoid this, Andreades increased his stroke tempo and carried on with the race. Just as everything seemed to be going well, An- dreades encountered another obstacle. He described running into “more than 30 fishing boats on the back of the island that could not be seen or anticipated at the start of the race,” he said. “Besides the fishing lines in the water, I had to make a quick decision on how I was going to navigate either between them, or around them, which would make my swim even longer.” Fortunately, he was able to find a safe way to get through, while losing hardly any time. While heading to the finish, there were yet a few more struggles. Andreades’ hands and feet, unprotected by the wet suit, were getting numb from the amount of time in the water. In addition, he recalled, “The current was pushing me from left to right, and it forced me to spot way left so I did not miss my entry point into Aquatic Park.” As Andreades swam into Aquatic Park to complete his athletic endeavor, he described the final moments of his amazing feat. “I finished the final 200 meters into the beach. I stood up on the sandy beach, barely keeping my balance due to the numbness in my feet from the cold, and jogged up the beach to the finish. At the finish, I was told I had finished in second place.” Although admittedly proud of his achievement, Andreades stressed that thoughts of his family made him determined to finish the race. “It was so mean- ingful to me to have my wife and children there at the start and finish of the race,” he said. Upon reflection of the many barriers he faced during the competition, Andreades said, “Nothing has prepared me to overcome a challenge more than working in NSU’s PA Program. It has made so many other encounters manageable. As a faculty member, I understand even more the importance of what I experienced as a student and the need to continue to learn and challenge myself mentally and physically.” † From left, son Luke, wife Lori, Stephen Andreades holding the map of the race course, daughter Ellie, and son Michael “It felt like we could reach out and touch the Golden Gate Bridge. The cold water initially took my breath away.” —Stephen Andreades Pamela Jaffey is an associate professor in the NSU Physician Assistant—Fort Lauderdale Program.