MESSAGE IN HONOR OF THE 5TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEMISE OF USA SWIMMER FRAN CRIPPEN
Ladies and gentlemen, people of our free world, veterans and active swimmers, divers, water polo players, synchronized swimmers, open water swimmers and aquatic coaches, judges and event volunteers, and fans and supporters of aquatic sports,
Today we join hands with peoples of Macedonia and Hungary in commemoration of the anniversary of the 1893 foundation of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization and the 59th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.
Today marks the 73rd year anniversary of the beginning of the heroic defense of Henderson Field during the Guadalcanal Campaign of 1942 – the baptism of fire for Marines like John Basilone and Robert Leckie.
And on this very day 5 years ago, the news of the sudden and irrevocable loss of one of America’s rising swimmers, Francis Edward Crippen, shocked the whole nation and the international aquatic community. The untimely drowning death of this great swimmer who represented the nation’s bright hope for open water swimming, which happened on the very afternoon of that day on the very final leg of the FINA Open Water Swimming World Cup in Fujairah, UAE, was a big shock to the people of the United States of America, the swimming community of the United States and the international aquatic community – a great blow to swimming and the disaster that has shattered its image.
Born on the 17th of April 1984 and the only son in a family that has become the “first family of swimming in the United States of America”, and himself a graduate of Germantown Academy and its famed swimming program, Fran Crippen was a swimmer all his life, and wanted to win a gold medal in the Olympics for his country, thus he took part in national level and international level swimming events with great expectations in the pool and in the open water, up to the day of his death. Thus, on that very hot day in Fujairah, where temperatures were even way too hotter at that time of year, Fran gave up his life as the ultimate sacrifice for the fulfillment of his responsibility as a swimmer and athlete for his sport, his family, and for his country the United States of America. It was only at the end of the meet when the grim fact that Fran had lost his life that shocked everyone who were there at the Fujairah beaches, including his fellow Team USA swimmers. It was them who started the search for him, and thus when they saw Fran’s lifeless body the outrage of his untimely and irrevocable death began to be felt, and as news of his demise spread all over the world, swimmers, swim coaches and swim fans grieved with their fellow athletes and supporters in the United States, as well as with the Crippens and Fran’s friends and relatives.
Fran had indeed left us in sorrow. For on that very tragic day 5 years ago, the whole world lost one of the rising stars in pool and open water swimming, who died in the performance of his duty as a swimmer for his country, the United States of America. His passing shocked everyone in the sport, and has made a huge impact, so much that the sport tarnished by the events of this fateful day will have to recover even longer in the coming years.
And so great was that impact that the Crippens and those who swam with him as part of Team USA Swimming were the first to take action to ensure that his sudden death will never happen on any FINA open water swim meet, and thus, the effects of his demise have always affected the sport in which he gave up his life, resulting in the efforts of FINA and the national swim organizations to ensure safe temperatures and race safety in all open water swim events.
Ladies and gentlemen, people of our free world, our veteran and active athletes, coaches, judges and volunteers of aquatic sports, and all fans of aquatic sports, today as we remember the 5th anniversary of the irrevocable death of one of America's greatest swimmers, with deep sorrow we remember Fran Crippen and his legacy to swimming and to all swimmers all over the world. His sudden passing will forever be a sad day for aquatic sports, and his name will always be remembered in the historic of national aquatic sports in the United States of America and all over the world.
Together, let us, united as one, work the dream, towards a brighter tomorrow!
ETERNAL GLORY TO THE MEMORY OF THE HEROES OF THE DEFENSE OF HENDERSON FIELD! ETERNAL GLORY TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE UNITED STATES SWIMMER FRANCIS EDWARD CRIPPEN!
1540h, Friday, October 23, 2015, the 239th of the United States of America, the 121st of the International Olympic Committee, the 119th of the Olympic Games, the 59th of the Hungarian Revolution, the 70th of the victories in Europe and the Pacific, 68th of the United States Armed Forces and 30th of USA Swimming.
John Emmanuel C. Ramos Makati City, Philippines
