Four Years After Fran Crippen’s Death, Remember to Smile

Four years ago today, on October 23rd, 2010, American swimmer Fran Crippen lost his life while swimming in an open water race in Dubai, UAE. This was one of the saddest days in the sport in recent memory, and every year, we here at Swimswam try to do a little something to remember him and help preserve the legacy that he left behind.

As I drove home from an early morning practice today on an otherwise nondescript Thursday morning, there was a fantastic sunrise. I wasn’t the only one who saw it – at nearby Rice University, practice paused for a moment so that the team could admire it as well, and coach Amanda Caldwell posted the above photo on her Instagram.

For those who haven’t been to Houston, the sunrises and sunsets here are matched by few places in the world. It’s mostly because of the pollution from the nearby petrochemical plants. The pollution, on a day-to-day basis, is not always fun to deal with, but it gives those of us up early enough to wish the sun ‘good morning’ a reason to smile.

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Throughout the day, as the swimmers of the world realize that this is the day, the day that Fran Crippen died four years ago, their instinct will be sadness.

There are no written words, no matter how eloquent, that will tell people when it’s okay to stop mourning the loss of a loved one. It’s nobody’s right to tell Fran’s sisters, or his parents, when they’re no longer allowed to be sad about his death. There’s no structure for how long his family, former teammates, and people like myself who only knew him by reputation, can treat this day as a sad one.

But in a certain light, the feeling of the day melds into one that is a little bit like a Houston sunrise. We could do without the pollution, but every day, without fail, it gives us all a reason to smile. Early morning practices can be difficult, but the slumbering world misses the beauty of a sunrise that comes at the end of a tough workout.

And four years later, as I realized what today was, as no doubt many swimmers will also remember as the day wears on, my mind began to gravitate toward the beauty of this day, and for the first time in the five times where this day has held the significance that it does, I felt the need to smile at a thought.

Fran died will doing what he loved. By all accounts, Fran loved open water swimming as much as anyone has ever loved open water swimming, and he died doing it. There’s a certain poetic beauty in that, a beauty that while clouded with the tragedy of a genuine soul taken far too young, is beautiful none-the-less.

My hope is that this doesn’t trivialize the sorrow of his death; rather, my hope is that the smile adds to the complex legacy that Crippen has left. It’s a legacy that is still evolving, still growing, still having an impact all around swimming.

And so, while I cannot and will not tell anyone how to grieve, we ask you all to find a reason to smile on this day. Be angry that more hasn’t been done to prevent tragedies like Fran’s in open water; be sad that you lost a friend or a loved one or a role model; have as much of whatever emotions you want to feel; but in and among the storm, if a smile strikes you, don’t fight it. Go with it. Cry about the memory of Fran’s death, but smile for the memory of his life.

We should all be so lucky as to bring smiles to others four years after we’re gone, and that’s the model.

 

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Richard Shoulberg
9 years ago

Fran and his three sisters have been part of my life since Maddie turned 8 and it wasn’t always easy coaching a high school boy like Fran. When he came back in 2008, now a man, it was such a joy for me to help him as an athlete, but it was a greater joy to have a cup of coffee with him everyday after practice to talk about life. Fran taught me many great life stories, and I think I taught him also. My hope is that open water swimming becomes safer for all swimmers, all families, and all nations. Unfortunately, more needs to be done by FINA and USA swimming. I made that promise to Fran’s mom on… Read more »

mcmflyguy
9 years ago

Honestly, I didn’t know who Fran was. I never paid attention to open water or distance swimmers in general. But I will say, I was still swimming when I heard of his death. Probably like many other people I started to read about him and it changed me. The stories I heard about him during competition helping out team mates when he could have just left them behind. Stories about his character out of the water how nice he was to everyone including competitors. It changed me as a person I wanted to be more like him. I never met him, I never saw him, never heard his name but at that moment when I read about him I knew… Read more »

9 years ago

Braden … Thank you for sharing your literary gift and thoughts … Well put … Fran loved to smile and it is so very hard for many of us to force a smile on this day … Yet I do believe that is what he would want us to do …. I treasure what his legacy has already accomplished in the 48 months that have passed since that tragic day … and yet I grieve alongside his sisters, parents, coaches & teammates ………. Now there are those who want to put another FINA race back in the UAE … What would Fran want? … Would he opt for forgiveness? ….How could I possibly be so bold to suggest I might… Read more »

Chooch
9 years ago

The sun shone for the first time in a week. The fall colors are exceptional. Right now a whitetail doe and her twins are searching for acorns in the woods outside my window. All good reasons to smile. I’m sure Fran would want it that way.

Thanks for the beautiful article, Braden.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
9 years ago

As a swim fan , i didn’t know anything about Fran in 2010 ; but i felt sadness in my heart when i heard what happened . I read many articles showing how Great Fran was with his team mates and family members . He was regarded as a model of amazing courage and passionate motivator for anybody around . I can’t forget that day ; but since 2010 i smile way more when i swim and enjoy it way more . Thanks Fran for the inspiration to make a difference aorund us while being ourselves . U are missed , even in Europe .

jerry Prefontaine
9 years ago

Being an announcer for the Mission Viejo team Frans presence was easy to see the epitome of hard work and dedication he instilled in the athletes he worked with.This is not quickly forgotten and lives on today at MVN.

MindoMom
Reply to  jerry Prefontaine
9 years ago

Jerry, I gotta ask – any relation to Steve? One of Fran’s favorite quotes was from Pre, “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift…”

MindoMom
9 years ago

Agreed, Evilwatersprite and lovely article, Braden… Fran was one of a kind and it sounds so cliche, but he was truly bigger than life. That young man took time out of his day everyday to talk with me as I waited for my daughter to finish practice and I remember telling him good luck before he left for Dubai. I miss that kid horribly, as I know all of us do, but his memory reminds me to appreciate this life now. Just workin’ the dream…

evilwatersprite
9 years ago

I still remember where I was when I heard about his death: packing for the Patriot Masters Sprint meet in NoVa. BTW, I coached Masters practice this morning and there were lots of smiles.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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