He didn't know it, but his whole life, Nick Irons unconsciously wanted to do something to help his dad, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. But he grew up in a happy Oklahoma home, graduated from college, and moved to Los Angeles to break into the TV industry. In December 1995, Nick visited his parents in their new home near Washington, DC, and saw his dad taking a turn for the worse - walking with a cane. While he had been away for a year, the disease rapidly progressed from a minor inconvenience to a disabling, painful disability. On the flight back to LA, Nick saw the Mississippi River and decided, "I will swim that. For my dad." He left his dead-end PA job in LA and dedicated himself to training. Eighteen months later on June 1 1997, he stepped in the frigid Mississippi River to swim 1550 miles from Minneapolis, MN to Baton Rouge, LA. Many said, "You don't swim the Mississippi." The river was filled with hazards: dangerous commercial and recreational boat traffic, strong undercurrents, storms, and wildlife. He needed help. Halfway down, it looked like the naysayers would be right as volunteer support disappeared along the increasingly industrial waterway. Nick's only hope was a stranger from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who had a dream of his own. Based on his award-winning book, and using the family's home movies, news footage, photos, and other archival material, Swim Lessons is an intimate, funny, and inspirational documentary about their incredible journey, and the lessons we can all learn along the way about love, dedication, and simply enjoying the moment.
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