“We are so proud of all Wyatt is doing to help make waves and fight cancer,” said his Mom Michelle. “Wyatt swims in honor of me – I’m a cancer thriver – and for family and friends who have lost their battle or are fighting now.” 

Wyatt Deaton was only seven years old when his Mom Michelle was diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of breast cancer called secretory carcinoma (which actually used to be called Juvenile Carcinoma because average age this type of cancer was found was in nine year olds). But Michelle was 45 years old when diagnosed.

“‘You have CANCER’ are three words you never want to hear,” said Michelle Deaton. “And to have to tell your seven year old son that, is especially hard. Wyatt was so young, but he immediately starting thinking about what he could do to help me get better. Raising money for Swim Across America and for pediatric cancer research was the challenge he was looking for — and needed at that moment.”

Wyatt signed up to swim in the Swim Across America Tampa open water swim with Team Tampa Elite Aquatic Manta Rays, and has been swimming with them for the past three years. In addition to swimming and raising money for cancer, Wyatt is a straight A student. This year, at age 11, Wyatt has challenged himself to swim a mile in the open ocean and raise at least $2,000 (which he reached his fundraising goal at the beginning of March 2022!) He swam 1/2-mile in 2021 raising $1,500.

“We are so proud of all Wyatt is doing to help make waves and fight cancer,” said his Mom Michelle. “Wyatt swims in honor of me – I’m a cancer thriver – and for family and friends who have lost their battle or are fighting now.” 

Michelle is currently in remission and has been cancer free for three years.

Swim Across America is celebrating 35 years of impact in 2022. SAA has raised $100 million since its inception in 1987 to support cancer research and clinical trials across the U.S. Please contact Jeni Howard at jhoward@jhowardpr.com for media inquiries.