I lost my eyesight when I was 19 years old, due to a rare disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa; I was young and had two children. After a while, I gained weight and was 300 lbs. with a heart murmur. My doctor said, “Vivian, if you lose the weight and your heart will be fine,” so I tried running a marathon, but it was too hard on my knees. I always loved the sound of running water, but was terrified of it, but I was not going to give in to fear. When I started swimming lessons, I clung to the side of the pool for dear life. My instructor used to yell, “Vivian, get away from that wall or you never learn how to swim.

The first time I dove into the pool, I can’t begin to tell you how good I felt, I had conquered my fear. Today I’m a Senior Olympian, I’ve lost weight, and my heart is fine…When people see me now, they see my handicap and say if she can do it, then perhaps I can do it too. You should never let life’s little challenges stop you from being all you can be.

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Vivian Stancil worked for many years to better herself and those around her. Despite being blind, she became an Olympic Swimmer and continues to swim to this day. Vivian is a champion, an advocate, and a community leader who believes that the recipe for success is equal parts faith and dedication.

Our organization worked with Riverside’s very own Cutter Pool to teach over 300 local children proper swimming techniques and safety. If you or a loved one are interested in attending next year, sign-up forms are available in the right section of the site. We hope to see you there!