Craig’s English Channel swim a triumph over tragedy

When Maxine Nerwich watched from Cape Town as her son, Craig Nerwich (44), swam into French waters during his English Channel crossing on 23 August, she was overcome with emotion. “There’s such a contradiction, with my one son always being a water baby and wanting to do this, and my other son drowning 10 years ago. I’m anxious, excited, and tearful.”

Having lost his younger brother to the water a decade ago, Craig was determined do this swim “to turn tragedy into hope”. He did it in his brother’s honour and to make sure that his swim could prevent others from drowning. Braving the cold water and currents, Craig swam relentlessly for 13 hours and 16 minutes, arriving in France on Wednesday at 17:08.

For each stroke he took between England and France, Craig hoped that money would be raised to teach adults and children to survive and thrive in the water.

The money was raised through Craig’s newly established Brett Nerwich Swimming Fund to enable less fortunate youngsters to have live-saving swimming lessons and to help the National Sea Rescue Institute’s drowning prevention campaign. Craig wrote on his crowdfunding page, “The glaring irony of the situation is that the very thing that took my brother’s life is the very thing that makes me feel so alive.”

In an interview with Howard Feldman on ChaiFM last week, Craig said: “I always knew that I wanted to do this swim for something other than my own personal gain. We’re raising money to be able to help people whether it’s children, whether it’s adults, to learn how to survive in the water, not to learn how to swim necessarily.”

He also said: “I think that it’s important for my kids growing up to be able to see what it is to identify and train for a goal.”

With his drive, determination, humility, and humour, Craig also managed to unite the South African Jewish community and people all over the world, who watched transfixed from the early hours of 23 August as he powered across the Channel.

Following the path of his support boat, which displayed a South African flag, the red dots showing his journey seemed to grow by the second. As a proud South African, Craig wore nothing but a Speedo and swimming cap decorated with the South African flag. He remained in good spirits, cracking jokes and drinking protein shakes in the water.

He swam in darkness, through sunrise and into daylight, with his devoted wife, Daniella, on the boat beside him. Losing her voice and enduring sea sickness, she told her husband that many people were following his journey with bated breath. Hundreds sent messages of support, from classrooms of children to working professionals, all drawn into the magic and inspiration of the ocean crossing. Work and lessons ground to a halt as they followed the swim.

Not only an inspiring swimmer, many messages reflected that Craig is an inspiring leader and support to others. Fellow athlete Lauren Friedman says she’s part of a group who trained for a Robben Island crossing 10 years ago. “Most of the people had never swum that much before. Craig was instrumental in getting us all to swim. After the swim, he mailed me and said I should do Ironman Durban with him. Without Craig pushing me, I wouldn’t be the triathlete I am today. Many of the group, including Kiki Marx [who later swam the Channel], can say that.”

The resilience that Craig brought to the swim began building long ago, when his family faced tragedy after his younger brother, Brett, was knocked down by a drunk driver on holiday in Durban, at the age of six. Brett was in hospital for three months, far from home, and then had a tracheotomy in his neck for 13 years. After the accident, Brett had special needs, but managed to live a full life, loved by friends and family, including Craig.

“Those were his formative years when his friends were learning to swim, and it was just too dangerous for Brett,” recalls Maxine. Brett eventually learned very basic swimming skills.

But 10 years ago, tragedy struck again, and Brett, who had fought so hard to live, died in a freak drowning accident at a dam in Cape Town on a day out with his other brother, Rus, and friends.

“On 24 November 2013, Craig did his first Robben Island swim, and we all met him on the beach,” says Maxine. “It was the last time Craig would see Brett. Exactly a month later, Brett was on a rubber duck [boat], which the wind flipped over in the middle of the dam, and he wasn’t a strong swimmer. He drowned, and it took divers a long time to find his body. It would have been his 40th birthday this year. Today, I know Brett is behind Craig for every stroke.”

Maxine says Craig always loved the water, and Brett’s accident didn’t undermine this.

In recent years, Craig has delved even further into his love of extreme sport, grabbing life with both hands. From being a smoker five years ago, he quit, and is now an extreme athlete. He has swum Robben Island crossings, including swimming the distance three times in one go; has swum around Madagascar; completed an Iron Man triathlon; and run Comrades Marathons. In February, he and his four children swam the Midmar Mile, all bringing home medals. They, too, were supporting their beloved dad from Johannesburg as he swam the Channel.

Maxine quips that Craig should be “the mayor of Glenhazel” thanks to his uncanny ability to pull people together and inspire them. She doesn’t know where the global support for his swim came from, except that he’s “warm, funny, and a mensch” and a creative all-rounder. She emphasises that Craig couldn’t have done it without Daniella’s steady support.

“He has wanted to do the English Channel for about five years, but there were various obstacles, including the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Maxine. But it was always about more than his own goals – he wanted to do it in a way that connected to Brett’s life and death and allowed his legacy to live on. She says Brett would have loved the joy that Craig’s swim has brought to so many.

Meanwhile, Brett’s friend, Simeon Angel, remembers the brother who never got to be there for this moment. “While Brett had day-to-day struggles, he was always up for a good time. All Brett really wanted to be able to do was be like everyone else – jump in the pool and go to the beach, splash in the waves, and have a good time with his friends.”

Now, his brother will help others to live those dreams. “I swim for each child who deserves to learn how to swim and be safe,” writes Craig. “I swim to ensure that no child is left without the opportunity to learn and love the wonders of the water. I swim for my brother Brett.”

The SA Jewish Report was unable to speak to Craig and Daniella Norwich as the story was written while he was swimming the English Channel.

• To contribute to the Brett Nerwich Swimming Fund, visit walletdoc.com/pay/BrettNerwichSwimmingFund