Thank you to all the donors! Through your efforts we have raised $5,500 for the event. The water was much warmer than the air and I was able to complete the swim in 2 hours with stellar support from my kayaker and friend Joshua Sparks. You are still able to donate for this event to try and help reach the overall goal of $1 Million.

I cannot express my thanks and gratitude enough to all of you and look forward to raising even more, swimming faster and sharing about Matt to even more people next year.

I dedicated this swim and fundraising effort to Matthew Kantor who was my teammate during my second platoon at SEAL Team Four. Matthew was one of my "new guys", a talented operator and an incredible human. I am honored to have stood side by side with Matthew while returning fire at the enemy who ultimately took his life.

"While on patrol, several insurgents mounted a complex machine gun attack on Matt and his team. Without fear or hesitation, Matt moved to protect his teammates and was mortally wounded by the heavy machine gun fire. He was the first line of defense for his team and his actions were directly responsible for saving the lives of his element and protecting the main body of the patrol. Matt was true to form in his last moments, a gallant and noble warrior who put his team above himself."

Matthew is survived by his parents, his younger sister and younger brother.

Your donations go directly to an incredible organization who not only helps the operators affected by years or decades of service but also their families after they are gone.

I served as a Navy SEAL for over ten years before being medically retired due to combat related injuries. The Navy SEAL Foundation has always been there to support myself, my brothers and their families through the toughest of times.