For those that don’t know me my name is Marissa Solaun. How I came to join the Crowell Family YMCA closely correlates to my love for being in the water—more on that later.

My story is vastly different from other members whom you may encounter at our center. This story entails overcoming unimaginable odds, exceeding your own expectations, and living your life to the fullest despite your challenges and circumstances. One may be wondering of what “challenges” I speak. Picture for a moment that you are first time parents, and you are expecting your first-born child. 
 
I was not the typical healthy baby one might envision. I was born at 23 weeks gestation and I weighed 1 pound at birth. To place prematurity into perspective for those who may be unaware, it is a very grim and dire situation to be faced with, for both the parents and the infant. Premature birth is a leading cause of infant mortality in the US. If the premature baby can be resuscitated and receives the care that is desperately needed, about half will survive. Despite the best of intensions and advancements in medical care, some premature babies will not make it to their first birthday. In addition, babies born early are more likely to have disabilities than babies born at term. Disabilities can range from mild—such as learning problems—to severe—such as cerebral palsy, blindness, or deafness. So, questions still remained, if I survived, what quality of life would I have? 
 
I did survive, however, I spent one year in the Neonatal Intensive care unit—a place in the hospital where the sickest babies go to receive specialized care. Due to my lack of all the natural and normal conditions essential for optimal growth and development of normal newborn babies, I was placed in an incubator—a medical device used to keep premature or sick babies warm and provide a controlled environment for their growth and development. During my lengthy stay, I was connected to various life sustaining equipment—most notably a ventilator, heart monitor, and feeding tube. 
 
My prematurity did not come without undue consequences. Among other things, I have an eye condition that is common amongst premature infants called Retinopathy of Prematurity. This particular condition affects the retina, which is the back part of the eye, and it can cause abnormal blood vessel growth, which in turn can lead to complete detachment of the retina and severe vision problems if not caught early. As a result, I am legally blind. This means my vision is severely affected and cannot be corrected to “normal” levels. I also suffered bleeding in the brain shortly after birth, which contributed to an intellectual disability. In addition, I have severe balance and coordination issues. Despite all of this, I count myself as one of the lucky ones and I do not take that for granted. 
  
As one can imagine, due to these circumstances, I was not able to participate in recreational sports. You may be wondering what sports can a blind person do? Truth be told, any sport can be adapted for people with disabilities. However, I wanted a sport I could do without adaptation or “help” of any kind. That chance came when I learned to swim at the Crowell Family YMCA many years ago as a young girl. I received private lessons and I soon fell in love with the water. For me, the pool was a safe environment. I felt free from my limitations and got hooked. 

Fast forward to July of 2022: I wanted to experience that feeling of freedom again. So, I took the plunge and signed up to be a member with the sole intension of partaking in lap swimming. Little did I know there was another part of the water that I had yet to explore. I was informed that the Y offered a water exercise class. It piqued my curiosity, and I thought to myself, why not? 
 
Upon first being told about the class, one question remained: how was I going to partake in the exercises if it was all done by visually watching an instructor? As fate would have it, the first water fitness instructor to whom I was introduced graciously took me under her wing and molded me into the confident student I am today. As my vision is severely compromised, I needed a way to gain an understanding of how to perform the exercises in class. By physically being shown those exercises, I was able to master them. I have become good friends with the other two instructors at our center as well and take their classes. I have been complimented on my swimming and most are in disbelief that despite my visual impairment, I swim as confidently as I do. This would not have been possible had I not considered looking into the Y. 
 
I truly feel that without all the aquatics staff, past and present, I wouldn’t be where I am today with relation to my swimming journey. I owe them more than words can express. Thank you does not even begin to describe how much I am indebted to these individuals. The Y truly transforms the lives of the people that they serve; I am no exception. The Y is a place where individuals can exceed their own expectations. A place where lasting friendships are formed. It’s more than a “gym.” It is like a second family. You are seen as equal to your able-bodied peers, and the support one receives extends far beyond the confines of the building itself. 
 
For me, the freedom to be in the water is something that is indescribable beyond all measures. And for this reason, I would like to impart a simple message to those reading this: never forget that you are braver than you believe, smarter than you think, and more capable than you realize. All it takes is truly pushing yourself past your comfort zone. When you gain confidence in yourself, you can indeed do anything you set your mind to. If you have not already done so, I urge you to look into your local YMCA. You may be surprised at what you are able to achieve.