Fran Crippen was a world-class swimmer, the pride of Germantown Academy and part of a legendary Philadelphia swimming family.
So it boggles the mind to think we have lost him at the age 26.
Maybe even more cruel is the manner in which Crippen died.
He was stricken in the water, where he was so comfortable, almost a second home.
Crippen was taking part in an open-water race in the United Arab Emirates. Concern is now being raised about conditions at the time of the 10-K race. Both the air and water temperature were extreme. Some say the water at he time of the race may have been as warm as 87 degrees.
Crippen, who indicated before the race to at least one person that he was not feeling well, apparently was stricken about 400 meters from the finish.
You can read the entire story here.
It won’t make it any easier. It’s just an unbelievably hard thing to fathom.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Crippen family.
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