Troy and Lilly’s Greek Island Adventure
Local residents and brother and sister duo, Troy and Lilly Otto, recently got back from their 50 km unaided swim through Greek island waters, all in the name of charity.
The pair have raised R51, 000 for a courageous young Hoedspruit resident, Daniël Otto, who suffers from Congenital Muscular Dystrophy. Daniël was born with CMD in 2013 but was only diagnosed in early 2016. Daniël lost the ability to walk and stand in that same year.
The pair will be donating the money raised in order to get Daniël a much needed high-tech adjustable standing frame to make his life a little easier.
Troy told the HOEDSPRUIT HERALD, “We actually aren’t related in any way [to Daniël]. It is just a coincidence that we share the same last name. We had caught wind of Daniël’s story a few weeks before the start of the Greece swim. And once we heard his story and how brave he has been, we decided that we needed to help him and his parents where we could.”
Troy and Lilly are both keen swimmers and took part in this year’s Ebenezer Mile, tackling the three kilometre swim. Troy told the HERALD, “Swimming has always been a huge part of our lives. We actually learnt to swim in a farm dam at a really young age. So what better way to explore an island than to swim around it?”
The pair were looking for an adventure, something that would challenge them in all aspects of the journey, “The beauty of this adventure was that we could take it one day at a time, giving us the freedom to changing our plans on the fly,” says Troy.
READ PART TWO OF THIS STORY HERE
The pair had discussed the swim for some years but the idea had always been put on the back burner. However, in 2018, the pair saw the opportunity and seized it with both hands. The trip took several months of planning, research and training.
The fearless siblings took on the challenge on their own with no back up.
Although the pictures may portray the idyllic island setting along Zakinthos and Kefalonia’s eastern shorelines, the swim was extremely tough on both of them, “A trip like this is where you learn the most about yourself, and the people you share the experience with. Throughout the whole swim Lilly’s bravery and dedication to the cause is what motivated me to stay strong and finish what we had set out to do,” Troy shares with the HERALD.
“The combination of facing our fears, experiencing new cultures, and with a little bit of adrenaline making this adventure just that much more worth it. We had good days and we had challenging ones. Deep waters and high cliffs, choppy seas and strong currents. We took salty showers and wore the same shirt for days. But with that said, we got to experience something very few people ever will get to experience. And for that we are truly thankful.”
Troy says that Daniël will always have a special place in their hearts. And they will always try and help him where we can.
To donate to the worthy cause, visit https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/greek-island-swim
