Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Jon Erikson, trained by Rosemary George, is shown emerging from the English Channel at the age 14 finishing in 11 hours 23 minutes on August 12th 1969.

Erikson was being recognized by the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida last month as an Honor Open Water Swimmer and will be honored by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame on the Isle of Bute, Scotland as an Honour Swimmer (see here).

His introductory videos and his acceptance speech are posted below.

Over his 12-year career, he achieved 11 English Channel crossings (4 one-way crossings, 2 two-way crossings, and 1 three-way crossing in 38 hours 27 minutes), participated in 31 World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation races throughout Canada, Mexico, U.S.A., and Argentina, completed the first crossing of Canada’s Chaleur Bay, and completed two 37-mile Chicago-to-Michigan City swims in 19 hours 12 minutes in 1980.





But he has been hospitalized in the intensive care unit since last Thursday. “My son is in a coma, intubated and sedated and could not respond yesterday,” explains his father Ted Erikson. “Jon received 6 platelets last night and again this morning. Looks like Jon’s immune system is compromised or medication side effects cause decreased platelets or thromobocytopenia.

Friends can send a ‘cheer card’ to be hand delivered; maybe swim thoughts will help! Post here.

Today, the doctors found Jon had e coli in his blood, a urinary infection. His blood pressure is off the charts, his organs shut down, and his body is in shock. On dialysis right now for the next 5 hours and we don’t want to sedate him again. After dialysis, he will need to be kept very quiet. They then need to remove about 5 liters of fluids in his body, still being intubated, cannot talk and have to get all his organs working again. Hope exists!“

Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association