‘Great Lake Jumper’ Dan O’Conor Has Jumped Into Lake Michigan Every Day For Over A Year, And Has Come Out Better For It – CBS Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) — You may name it a leap of religion – in a extra literal sense than the time period is usually used.
It started with a bounce into Lake Michigan throughout the depths of the pandemic by a Chicago man who got here out higher.
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As CBS Information’ Adriana Diaz reported, Dan O’Conor’s journey began with a seek for a hangover treatment. However a bounce into Lake Michigan every day has turned out to have extra advantages, and for months now, O’Conor has been doing it to shock his senses and clear his thoughts.
They name O’Conor the Great Lake Jumper. He has made that bounce into Lake Michigan every single day for a 12 months since June 2020 – sure, even throughout the useless of winter.
The 53-year-old father of three was at first in search of aid from a hangover, and the information cycle.
“It was a darkish time. It was the pandemic. The protests had been beginning to occur; the election and politics,” O’Conor stated. “I might come down right here and cleanse the palate and begin anew.”
And he stored coming again for this pandemic remedy.
“The constructive suggestions I began getting – individuals are reaching out saying, ‘This brightens my day, seeing you bounce within the lake,’” O’Conor stated.
And the way does that make him really feel to listen to that?
“You understand, it brightened my day,” he stated, “and I believe all of us wanted that throughout the pandemic. All of us wanted to search out some mild.”
O’Conor stored at it by means of the winter – these bitter chilly and snowy days again in February – breaking the ice nevertheless he might.
Diaz: “Folks bounce on this lake and so they don’t survive.”
O’Conor: “It crossed my thoughts each time. I needed to be one hundred pc current.
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Diaz: What does your mother say to you?
O’Conor: “‘You’re not leaping into that lake, are you?’”
On his spouse Margaret’s recommendation, O’Conor – a music buff – raised consciousness for Chicago musicians and venues struggling within the pandemic. Musicians are seen enjoying as alongside O’Conor as he makes his jumps – that are all recorded on video and posted to his Twitter account.
“I believe it’s actually particular – why am I crying all the sudden?! I believe it’s actually distinctive,” stated Margaret O’Conor. “I imply, from the individuals who he, you realize, helped get by means of (the pandemic) remotely.”
When Diaz and her crew visited, Jon Langford, Rick “Cookin’” Sherry, and John Szymanski of the Pine Valley Cosmonauts had been enjoying a particular music for O’Conor.
Jon Langford, Rick Sherry& John Szymanski belting out a candy authentic #greatlakejumper @TheJonLangford @JonSzymanski pic.twitter.com/VWWRHECSth
— Nice Lake Jumper (@TheRealDtox) July 21, 2021
Diaz: “It’s superb that a lot pleasure got here from one individual’s comparatively small act.”
Langford: “I don’t know if it’s small. I believe it’s a giant dedication. One thing that’s clearly loopy; brings folks collectively.”
And O’Conor’s one-year bounce introduced lots of people collectively – and so they all jumped proper in with him.
So what has this all performed for his psychological well being?
“You understand, I believe it’s undoubtedly improved my outlook,” O’Conor stated. “You are able to do one thing actually small and it could possibly flip into one thing large.”
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2021/07/25/great-lake-jumper-dan-oconor-lake-michigan/
