On Saturday, Aug. 17, Port Washington native and seven-year Navy SEAL veteran Brian Valenza joined more than 350 participants in the seventh annual New York City SEAL Swim, a 3.5-mile multi-sport event across the Hudson River honoring fallen heroes and raising money and awareness for the Navy SEAL Foundation.
Valenza, who grew up in Port Washington and swam competitively “throughout high school and while attending” the U.S. Naval Academy, said the event was unlike any other.
“The current was gnarly, but thanks to safety protocols, standby personnel, and a Long Island-based safety team, we were able to execute the swim to the second barge safely,” he said.
The swim began at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. It included two stops at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, before ending with a run carrying the American flag to the World Trade Center. However, due to hazardous water conditions near Battery Park, organizers ended the event early before the third leg of the swim was complete.
Valenza said the decision to stop the swim was the right call.
“The New York State Police and its Special Operations Response Team (SORT), NJPD, FDNY, Port Authority, along with three Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIB) and a 25-man volunteer water safety team on seven personal watercraft (PWC) from Massapequa, Atlantic Beach and Oceanside were called to action when the water conditions suddenly became dangerous,” Valenza said. “The team stepped up and pulled dozens of swimmers to safety.”
The Navy SEAL Foundation, which directs 94 cents of every dollar raised to programs for active duty SEALs, veterans and their families, was at the heart of Valenza’s participation.
“What drew me to the swim was knowing that every dollar raised goes directly to supporting our community,” he said. “The foundation is invaluable in supporting the specific needs of SEAL families and I’ve seen firsthand how much it matters.”
The event brought together Veteran SEALs, FDNY, NYPD and other veteran military and civilian patriots. For Valenza, that camaraderie was a reminder of his years on SEAL Team Four.
“As I helped the safety boats pull people out of the water, I realized that some of the same guys I once served with were doing the same. It reminded me of the team environment I can always count on,” he said.
Though he has participated in similar charity events in San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Boston, Annapolis and even overseas, Valenza said swimming in New York carried special meaning.
“To be out there in the Hudson, looking up at the Statue of Liberty, knowing we were honoring the warriors of EXTORTION 17 and the lives lost on 9/11—it was powerful,” he said. On Aug. 6, 2011, 30 American military servicemen and a U.S. military dog were killed when a CH-47 Chinook helicopter–call sign EXTORTION 17–was shot down in Afghanistan.
Valenza credited not just the event staff (mostly volunteers) and law enforcement assistance, but stressed how the South Shore volunteers and the wider Long Island contingent who came out to support the effort helped make the event a complete success.
“Long Island represented today,” he said. “I’m from Port, but those South Shore watermen kept everyone safe when the conditions got bad. It was amazing to see our community step up in such a big way.”
The swim raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Navy SEAL Foundation, which offers more than 30 programs, including tragedy assistance, scholarships, summer camps for kids, mental health support, physical rehabilitation, career transition support and Gold Star programming and events. For Valenza, the mission was deeply personal.
“This isn’t just a swim—it’s about giving back to the operators and families who carry the burden of service,” he said. “That’s why I keep coming back, year after year.”
Visit www.navysealfoundation.org to learn more about the foundation, to make a donation and to stay informed about upcoming events.
With additional reporting by Larissa Fuentes
