70-year-old swims English Channel for missions_92004

Posted: 9/10/04

70-year-old swims English Channel for missions

RIDGEFIELD, Conn. (ABP)—George Brunstad of Wilton, Conn., gives new meaning to the term “putting feet to your faith.” In fact, he also put his arms and his legs into it. In an effort to raise awareness for his church’s ministry in Haiti, the 70-year-old Baptist layman swam the English Channel.

His swim set a new record, not for speed—he finished in 15 hours, 59 minutes—but because he is the oldest person ever to tackle the channel. He broke the record of Bertram Cliffort Batt of Australia, who was 67 years old when he made the journey in 1987.

“His inspiration for the swim came when he went with our church last November on a mission trip to Haiti,” said Bob Guffey, Brunstad’s pastor at Wilton Baptist Church. “George swam to raise awareness of and money for the Center of Hope orphanage and school project that (the church) sponsors in Hinche, Haiti.”

Brunstad, who is a retired American Airlines pilot, has competed in several open-water swims, even winning medals. But he said the channel swim was the most grueling feat he has undertaken.

“My preparation swimming in Long Island Sound and especially off the coast of Maine helped me,” Brunstad told the News-Times of Danbury, Conn. “But I had to swim as hard as I could for as long as I could” to make it across the channel.

Brunstad swam a total of 32 miles—seven more than a direct route across the channel from England to France.

“Near the end, I had to swim four hours to make two hours' time because of the tide coming toward me,” he recalled. “It was pulling me to the north. I had to fight it.”

Brunstad credited the “hand of the Lord” for giving him good swim conditions.