Meet the Swimmers | Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim

Meet the Swimmers

Members of our swim team are adventurous open water swimmers who are on a mission to symbolically complete the tragic journey of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald and help carry on the legacy of the 29 lost crew members, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of her sinking in 2025. Their mission is also to safeguard mariners of today and tomorrow by raising funds to preserve the Whitefish Point Light Station.

Learn about these adventurers by reading the bios they submitted below!

Stage 1: Edmund Fitzgerald Wreck Site

Lisa Katz

Rochester, MI

Joe Barr

Manistique, MI

My name is Joe Barr, a lifelong resident of Manistique, MI. I have loved the water all my life.

OPEN

Anytown, MI

OPEN

Anytown, MI

Stage 2: Whitefish Bay Crossing

Rachael Currie

Cobourg, ON CAN

Beverly Hallfrisch

Traverse City, MI

Beverly grew up in the Sault in the U.P., where the sound and sight of freighters was part of the daily backdrop.

Lisa Kohler

Traverse City, MI

Victor Gutwein

Chicago, IL

If there's water, count me in. Preferably fully immersed, but if not then just get me as close as possible.

Stage 3: Sault Ste. Marie / Soo Locks

Elizabeth Healy

Portage, MI

Diane Melvin

Plainwell, MI

Tracey Lawie

Kalamazoo, MI

Liza Rusan

Plainwell, MI

Stage 4: Upper St Marys River

David Blake

Brownstown, MI

Eryn Drayton

Jenison, MI

Sonja Dean

Kalamazoo, MI

Brandon Sundberg

Southfield, MI

Stage 5: Lower St Marys River

Christina Calvello

Ripon, WI

Lori Jurgensmier

Fond Du Lac, WI

Lily Huber

Ripon, WI

Brita McCullough

Fond Du Lac, WI

Stage 6: Lake Huron Crossing

Nina Norris

Prospect, KY

Jennifer Titus

Hayward, WI

I swim. Actually, I was born a mermaid and therefore, I swim.

Matt McNichols

Naperville, IL

Kelly McNichols

Naperville, IL

Stage 7: 40-Mile Point - Presque Isle

Quinton Bernard

Allendale, MI

Hello! My name is Quinton Bernard. I’m a 25 year old from Zeeland, Michigan. I now reside in Allendale, Michigan with my wife and 13 month old baby girl.

Tammy Carruth

Montevideo, MN

Kalina Emaus

Omaha, NE

Koryn Houdek

Milwaukee, WI

Stage 8: Presque Isle - Thunder Bay Island

Michael Bell

Plymouth, MI

David Centner

Grand Rapids, MI

I am a 60-year-old lifelong Michigander (and Wolverine) who loves swimming, the Great Lakes, the lake freighters that traverse them, and the lighthouses that watch over them.

John Leitner

Grand Haven, MI

Sara Morgan

Duluth, MN

Hello, my name is Sara (Dickenson) Morgan. I was born January 10, 1983 and raised in Superior, Wisconsin the city where the Edmund Fitzgerald began its fateful journey from.

Stage 9: Thunder Bay Crossing

Laura Hall

Grand Rapids, MI

Laura Hall is from Grand Rapids, Michigan and loves the Great Lakes!

Laura (Lux) Krebs

Alma, MI

Jay Nix

Bellingham, WA

Charlene Stade

Emmett, MI

Stage 10: Sturgeon Point - Au Sable

Reed Maes

Ypsilanti, MI

Brian VanderHoff

Kalamazoo, MI

Brian VanderHoff grew up swimming from a young age and continued swimming competitively through high school at Rockford High School and one year at Calvin College.