Dear Connmasters. The news of the death of Dave Parcells during the
24 Mile Tampa Bay Marathon Swim is an incredible shock to the swimming community. We are sending along the note sent out by Paul Epstein and hope we will see you at East Lyme to reminisce.

Mike Laux

Dear Masters,

Julie just contacted me with the very sad and shocking news that Dave Parcells died of a heart attack today while swimming the Tampa Bay race for Earth Day. As many of you know, Dave was often referred to as the “King of Tampa Bay” for having won this race so many times in the past. Dave’s many long distance swimming feats are legendary and have made the history books. In the summer of 2002, at the age of 44, he became the oldest person to successfully complete a double crossing of the English channel, and many of you read his journal entries from the summer of 2004, when he and Marcy MacDonald attempted a triple crossing together of the Channel, as a cancer fund-raiser, which unfortunately was derailed by bad weather. But even more notable than this, has been Dave’s constant enthusiasm for the sport, and his encouragement of his fellow Conn Masters, many of whom he trained, encouraged and helped bring up to speed to compete in open water events. As creator and Director of the Madison Mile swim every June, and the Swim Across the Sound fund-raiser every August, as well as all the funds he’s raised from his own channel crossing swims for the cancer programs at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Bridgeport, Dave has given so much to the sport and to youngsters suffering from cancer. Last summer I talked to Dave at length about the logistics of organizing the events he has, like the Cross-the-Sound fund-raiser, as I had seriously been considering organizing one to raise funds for leukemia research, and after going through it with him, I realized that the time, energy, and logistics needed to successfully carry something like this off were daunting. He was a truly selfless person for contributing so much of himself to such worthy causes. I remember Dave saying, after his double crossing of the Channel, that despite all the pain he experienced during it, and the swelling from all the jellyfish stings, he kept thinking that it was nothing compared to all the suffering children with cancer go through, and by knowing he was able to contribute to helping them by doing this, it provided the motivating force that enabled him to keep going. This is the kind of person Dave was. Clearly one of a kind. It’s a deep, deep loss, and a complete shock, for all of the swimming world, and especially for us, his fellow Conn Masters swimmers, for someone so incredibly fit, active and enthusiastic as Dave, in the prime of his life, to see his life to end so suddenly. He will really be greatly missed by all of us. Please hug someone you love today, in remembrance of Dave.

And Please Be Well,

Paul

There will be a viewing Sunday, April 29th at the Swan Funeral Home, 825 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT. (Time to Be Announced) and a Mass at St. Margaret’s Roman Catholic Church, Madison at 10:30 a.m. A reception will be held at The Surf Club, Madison, following the services 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm.

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