Swimming with the Shelton-Monroe Rapids, then the Masuk Panthers, brought Brendan Kirberger, Keller Hall and Jack McHugh together over the past seven years and, though Hall graduated from Masuk High School last spring, the trio will team up once again during St. Vincent’s annual Swim Across the Sound this Saturday.
All three Monroe teens have a relative who had been diagnosed with cancer and their team, Rapids-Boo’s Crew 3, has raised $5,100 for treatment and research. To make a donation, visit the team page online.
“This is like the last hurrah, because the next time I’ll see them will be this winter at the alumni swim meet in the Masuk pool,” said Hall, who will swim on the club team, while pursuing a degree in environmental engineering in the University of Connecticut’s honors program this fall.
To make this happen, Kirberger had to overcome a broken tibia and fibula he sustained after landing wrong in a Masuk volleyball game three months ago.
“I’m cleared to do pretty much anything, but I’m still doing physical therapy every day,” he said during an interview with Hall and McHugh at Last Drop Coffee Shop Thursday morning.
Any residual effects from the injuries have not seemed to hurt Kirberger’s performance in the water, according to Hall, who said, “he was leading the pack in our training sessions.”
To prepare themselves for Saturday, the friends have been swimming at the Masuk and Shelton Community Center pools, in Lake Zoar and in open water at Fairfield Beach.
Honoring Boo
Rapids-Boo’s Crew 3 also includes Tara Mladsi of Shelton, Giancarlo Rubio of Shelton and Lauren Clark of Trumbull.
Mladsi first became involved with St. Vincent’s Swim after her lacrosse coach, Jeff Lever, lost his sister to cancer in 2019. Lever’s sister’s name was Beth, but her nickname was Boo.
“She was a nurse at St. Vincent’s who devoted her life to helping people who were sick to get better,” Hall said. “Her brother started the Boo’s Crew team to honor her life’s work and battle with cancer. There is more than one Boo’s Crew.”
Cancer has also touched the lives of McHugh, Kirberger and Hall.
“My mom had melanoma 12 or 13 years ago,” said McHugh, 17, a rising Masuk junior. “It feels good to raise money for cancer patients and their families.”
“My grandfather had melanoma and sunscreen plays a big part in my life,” Hall, 17, said with a smile. “I have fair skin, so I’ll be applying on the boat.”
However, his grandmother had a more serious bout with cancer. A few years ago, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had an experimental surgery.
“It was a long road,” Hall said of her recovery. “She has checkups and is still cancer free. If it ever comes back, I want her to have the best treatment possible.”
“My grandmother had breast cancer a few years ago, so it will feel good swimming for her,” said Kirberger, 17, a rising Masuk senior.
Jellyfish stings
The swim from Port Jefferson in New York to Captain’s Cove in Bridgeport is 15.5 miles, so each member of Boo’s Crew 3 will swim about 2.5 miles.
Hall said there are some obstacles swimmers could face, including sea sickness on the boat, and jellyfish and sea lice stings.
“I got stung last year,” Kirberger said. “It’s something you sign up for.”
“Sea lice is really jellyfish larva,” Hall said. “It can get stuck in your suit and, if they’re trapped, they sting like crazy.”
However, the importance of the cause and the camaraderie will get them to the finish line.
“The team always has high spirits and cheers each other on in the water,” McHugh said. “We all laugh and have a fun time on the boat talking.”
McHugh and Kirberger did the Swim together last summer, but Saturday will be Hall’s first time.
“What I’m most excited about is I will get to spend a whole day with my friends and also be part of something bigger than myself, while making new friends,” Hall said. “There’s nothing I love more than cheering these guys on in the pool at Masuk. I’m so excited to be able to cheer them on one last time.”
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