SAN PEDRO : Cheers Greet Legless Man After 28.5-Mile Swim
Cheers and honks greeted a legless man in San Pedro when he completed a 28 1/2-mile swim to raise money for charity.
Carlos Costa, 21, of Toronto came ashore Sunday night after his 15-hour swim from Catalina Island. Nearby boats honked their horns in encouragement.
“He never slowed down. He was swimming strongly the entire way,” said Bill Petrasich, who accompanied Costa in a boat. Every 1 1/2 hours, Costa drank a nutrition drink through a long tube attached to a plastic bottle held by his coach, Vicki Keith, who holds 14 world marathon swimming records.
Costa’s legs were amputated when he was 2 1/2 years old because of a birth defect. His swim benefited Variety Children’s Charities of Southern California.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.