A young woman named Cynthia Aguilar recently crossed the Florida Straits to KeyWest on her paddleboard, completing a 103.2 mile journey in 29 hours and 12 minutes. Wow, this is an accomplishment we don’t see every day in Key West!
When Cynthia dragged her paddleboard onto our KeyWest beach on June 16, she was greeted by a roar of cheers from the crowd and hugs from her parents. Not only was this an amazing feat, but it was done to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida. Cynthia founded a non-profit organization called KeepPaddlin‘ Inc. with a mission to produce fund raising events associated with her paddleboarding challenges. You can follow Keep Paddlin’s activities on its FacebookPage.
“You’re knocked down, you get up, you keep fighting – you keep paddling no matter what,” said a triumphant Cynthia. Her journey started 14 miles off northern Cuba and when she reached Key West she had set a record for the longest nonstop prone paddle ever and the first person to cross the Florida Straits solo on a prone paddleboard.
Cynthia was inspired by the many stories told to her by the critically ill children who hoped that their wishes could come true through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She said even after eight months of rigorous training, nothing could prepare her for the mental challenge of being alone on a paddleboard in the ocean for almost 30 hours. She focused on knowing that she could help wishes come true with her paddle for charity.
A documentary, Dream Big: Inside All Of Us Lives Hope, is being made about Cynthia’s world-record paddle from Cuba to KeyWest. The proceeds from the documentary will also support the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Take a break and watch this emotional clip from June 16! This challenging finish in Key West fills me with awe for an inspiring young lady and the spirit of support always present on our island.
My staff and I offer our congratulations to Cynthia and wish her every success with her fund raising efforts! We offer our assistance to you for a successful real estate experience in KeyWest. Give me a call today and we’ll get started. MargaritaVilloch: 305-304-8505.
photo courtesy Keep Paddlin’ Facebook
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