Record-breaking Pueblo swimmer gets help from alma mater

Eddie Lewis helped the Central Wildcats take two state titles in the 1970s. Now, the record-breaking swimmer is battling cancer.

“I’m fighting a lot for my wife and for my daughters and my sons and my mom and dad. These are people that you’re fighting for,” said Lewis, who graduated in 1978.

Now, students attending a beginners and advanced swimming class are raising money for Lewis while making laps for their semester final.

Central swim instructor, Marla Lanham, said, “A couple of the girls just said: Why don’t we do this for some kind of purpose other than just to swim to get our grade, Ms. Lanham?”

For decades, students have tried to break Lewis’ four records.

Lewis won gold medals while participating in Central’s 200 medley relay quartet and individually for the 200 individual medley, among other awards.

“Once I get into like tenth grade or eleventh grade, I hope I can beat that kind of record. It’s just amazing,” said Lynniah Tuttle, a freshman on the swim team.

But the lesson Lanham wants her students to take away isn’t just about breaking records.

“I think the whole lesson is kind of like a life lesson for these students, realizing that maybe doing something else for someone else that doesn’t have it as well can make them feel good about themselves,” Lanham said.

Lewis said what he learned in the pool is helping him in his latest challenge — battling prostate cancer.

“You can’t give up and you can’t say, ‘Oh well, he beat me last time and so I don’t have a chance.’ Same thing with cancer. You gotta keep on going,” Lewis said.

Lanham said students have raised about $700 for Lewis, so far.

Those who’d like to donate money to Lewis can write a check payable to Central High School, with attention to Marla Lanham.