It’s All Good: Blind Swimmer Max Ashton Completes Escape From Alcatraz Swim Posted by Max Pete on 10/01/13 | Filed under Opinion, Its All Good

These days, all you see and hear on the news is about which country is on the brink of war, the economic crisis and other information that drives fear into your everyday life. I’m tired of hearing nothing but bad news, that’s why I decided to write about positive and inspiring stories that are overlooked by the mainstream media in "It's All Good". This week....

The only goal of Max Ashton had before heading to college was to swim from Alcatraz Island to Aquatic Park in San Francisco. The Blind 17-year-old senior from Phoenix, Arizona, completed the task along with two other blind swimmers.

"It's just good to show people I can do everything, really," Max said to the San Francisco Chronicle after he made it across the bay. "I feel great now. This is huge. Next is college." Max has previously climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, crossed the Grand Canyon, and thrown out the first pitch at a Major League Baseball game, which was a strike.

Max was joined by 24-year-old Tanner Robinson and 19-year-old Katie Cuppy, who are also blind. The three blind swimmers were guided by sighted swimmers Mike and Paul Tiffany, both from Phoenix.

The main challenge swimming blind is staying on course, but Robinson also said there is a big advantage. "The nice thing about being blind is you don't know where the finish line is," he said. "It was just like another training."

Robinson told the papers that the swim showed people there are no barriers for people with visual impairments "Hopefully, there are people out there who will (see this and) take more challenges themselves just in their daily lives," he said.

The event was organized by the Foundation for Blind Children in Phoenix, which also organized the Mount Kilimanjaro, and Grand Canyon trip.