Grand Canyon Times

Gov. Doug Ducey (R-AZ) shared the exploits of two Arizona brothers who are making a cross-country trip in which they plan to swim 10 kilometers in all 50 states in 30 days.

Joe Zemaitis, 42, and John Zemaitis, 39,  plan to swim 10 kilometers in all 50 states as part of The Ultimate Swim-a-Thon, which promotes drowning prevention and water safety as well as competitive open-water swimming, according to a story by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"Two Arizona brothers are taking the plunge to raise awareness for drowning prevention and water safety,” Ducey said July 31 on Twitter. “They will swim in all 50 states in 30 days! Arizona is rooting for you!"

The brothers swam in Lake Erie on July 29.

“It's one of my favorite routes — very picturesque,” Joe Zemaitis told the Post-Gazette of their first time swimming in Lake Erie. “We’ll be in the water over 10 hours that day. It will be one of our busiest days, and one of four we'll be swimming that much.”

“We both love to travel and swim,” Joe Zemaitis added.

Proceeds from the Swim-a-Thon will go to the USA Swimming Foundation, the story said.

“Motivation is a tricky thing,” said Joe Zemaitis said. “We have no idea how we will respond physically and mentally.”

August in Drowning Awareness Month, which helped prompt the brothers to take the tour. According to USA Swimming, the Zemaitis brothers are among the world's most prolific open-water swimmers. Joe Zemaitis has logged the most miles of anyone in the world since 2018, the story stated.

The Zemaitis brothers both have been nominated as Open Water Swimming Man of the Year, the Post-Gazette reported. In addition to their nationwide trek, they previously swam the English Channel, made a double circumnavigation of Manhattan (a 57-mile swim), Loch Ness (22 miles) and a double crossing of the Sea of Galilee (25 miles), the story stated.