In 2018, Fort Lauderdale’s Parks, Recreation and Beaches Board voted on a resolution to place a Diana Nyad Historical Marker at Las Olas Beach. Chairperson Debby Eisinger and all but one other board member voted against the resolution. The marker died, or so I thought.
When the Nyad biopic opened five years later, Nyad’s supporters began a crusade to resurrect the marker. Eisinger led the battle. Though she no longer sat on the Parks, Recreation and Beaches Board, the former mayor of Cooper City, Florida, she retained (and retains) clout at Fort Lauderdale City Hall. She wanted the City Commission to vote on the marker last April 2, so they voted on and approved it last April 2. She demanded that they place the marker at the entrance to Las Olas Beach, so they agreed to place it at the entrance to Las Olas Beach.
Eisinger gave three reasons for that placement. Two of them are lies from Nyad’s core repertoire. According to Eisinger, Las Olas
has very specific symbolic and personal meaning for Diana Nyad, whose stellar swimming career began there as a child accompanied by her mother, where she practiced for years into adulthood. It was also exactly the spot where her dream for the Cuba swim first took root.
Nyad didn’t train for open water swimming off any Fort Lauderdale Beach. She left Florida at least two years before she learned about the sport of marathon swimming. Before that, she trained only in pools.
Nor is Las Olas the spot where her dream “took root.” Eisinger alludes to Nyad’s mom-on-the-beach story: Nine-year-old Diana stands on a Fort Lauderdale Beach with her mother, who points out to sea and says Cuba’s so close “that you, you little champion swimmer, you could almost swim there.” (Here’s one version from 2024.) But Nyad didn’t start swimming competitively until she was 12, and Las Olas faces east, so her mom would have been pointing at the Bahamas. And Nyad didn’t start telling that story until 2014. Before that, she always said she found the swim on a map or a chart.
If that’s not enough to convince you she’s lying, then consider that Nyad once said: “My childhood and high school and college and maybe even a little bit longer — I remember almost nothing.” That’s a lie, too; she’s written and spoken frequently about her childhood, high school, and college years. But the lie reveals a fundamental Nyadian truth: we can’t believe a word she says.
Higher Order Fraud
Eisinger’s third reason for the Las Olas placement is disingenuous and offensive. She suggests an equivalence between Nyad’s marker and the one already at Las Olas. According to Eisinger, this third reason is
of a different and perhaps higher order. There already is a marker on the south side of that entrance, the Wade-In marker, one that honors the African-American community. Diana Nyad embodies two communities that have also suffered discrimination; she is female and she is gay. Her marker would be a companion piece to the Wade-In marker and would make that entrance, in effect, a DEI site. It would also create a visual symmetry, as well as be a welcoming beacon to those who have not always enjoyed the benefits of equality.
The Wade-Ins marker honors people who risked their lives protesting segregation at Fort Lauderdale’s beaches. Those protesters fought for justice and equality. Diana Nyad fights for attention and adoration. Her marker will be a monument to gullibility and deceit.
And Eisinger is being disingenuous when she raises Nyad’s sexual orientation. The marker text doesn’t mention that Nyad is gay. If her sexual orientation were critical to the marker’s placement, the text would say something about it. People unfamiliar with Nyad will read the marker and learn nothing about her sexual orientation. Eisinger raises the topic to inflame her fans and manipulate the Commissioners.
Many of the details in this post come from emails I received in response to a Florida Sunshine Law request to the City of Fort Lauderdale. Among those emails was one Eisinger sent to Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Tantralis on January 29, 2024. It revealed Eisinger’s lobbying strategy: Convince the Commissioners that Diana Nyad rocks and that her detractors lie. No Nyad critics knew about the marker vote until the day of the meeting. Our inability to comment simplified Eisinger’s job; she didn’t have to worry about facts hindering the marker’s approval.
Eisinger met individually with the Commissioners months before the vote, presumably to gush about Nyad and vilify her critics. (The emails mention four critics in particular: the current director of Fort Lauderdale’s International Swimming Hall of Fame, Bill Kent; two former directors, Brent Rutemiller and Bruce Wigo; and me.) After Eisinger met with the Commissioners, it was Nyad’s turn. “I was glad to hear that each of you had the privilege of meeting Diana Nyad at the recent Stonewall Gala where she was honored,” Eisinger wrote to the Commissioners in March 2024. “I also heard that she was quite the engaging and inspirational speaker as well as personable, funny, warm, and friendly off stage.”
Since Kent, Rutemiller, and Wigo cite the Nyad Fact Check site, Eisinger focused on convincing the Commissioners that I was the biggest liar. She had no proof, so she used repetition to create the illusion of proof. In her January 29 message to Mayor Trantalis, Eisinger wrote:
Daniel Slosberg, a critic of Diana’s wrote to us challenging the legitimacy of her swim. . . Based on those communications which turned out to be false or misleading, the approval was withdrawn by majority vote. . . . Sadly, it appears now that an injustice was done with the withdrawal of the approval.
On the day of the meeting, Eisinger emailed Scott Wyman, the mayor’s Chief of Staff. In the message, she responds to Bill Kent’s request to table the Nyad Marker resolution:
It should not be tabled and we have the responses to all of the naysayer comments which [come] from a blogger named Daniel Slosberg.
A few minutes later, Eisinger wrote to Commissioner Steven Glassman, who represents the Commission on the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors:
I actually chaired the Parks, Recreation and Beaches Advisory board back in 2018. The Board originally supported the marker (unanimously) and subsequently withdrew approval at a following meeting after receiving this same fact check list that you were just sent.
[The list Bill Kent sent — “51 Fabrications” — didn’t exist until 2021. Brent Rutemiller, the director of the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2018, sent a link to nyadfactcheck.com — DS.]
Unfortunately, at that time, we did not have the history as to why this “fact-check” list gained traction and an understanding as to why some at the ISHOF have likely been opposed to Diana Nyad.
I regret that the Parks, Recreation and Beaches advisory board was not given the opportunity to research the source behind the “fact-check” material. Knowing now what I did not know in 2018, I am strongly standing behind Diana Nyad and the honor she deserves.
Eisinger never said what she knew in 2024 that she didn’t know in 2018. She never offered any factual responses, only personal attacks and innuendo. The Commissioners still gave her everything she wanted.
Meanwhile, the Florida Department of State’s Historical Marker Program staff worked to remove exaggerations and lies from the marker text. Their most telling changes involved Nyad’s contention that she trained at Las Olas. Eisinger demanded that the City place the marker at Las Olas mainly because of that training. The final marker text acknowledges that the training didn’t happen:
Version 1: “Nyad practiced frequently at Fort Lauderdale Beach.”
Version 2: “She later trained off of this beach.”
Version 3: “She later trained off nearby beaches.”
Version 5: “She swam at nearby beaches.”
Marker Texts
Version 1 — May 31, 2017
From Dr. Lynette Long’s initial application.
This version talks about Nyad’s Cuba–Florida crossing for the first two-thirds of the text.
MARATHON SWIMMER DIANA NYAD [version 1] On September 2, 2013, at the age of sixty-four, Diana Nyad staggered onto Smathers Beach in Key West, Florida after swimming 111 miles from Havana, Cuba. Nyad was the first person to make the treacherous journey without the benefit or a shark cage. In an epic fiftythree hour swim that personified both endurance and courage, Nyad won the hearts of millions of admirers around the world. Exhausted but exhillerated Nyad told the awaiting crowd: "Never, ever give up. You’re never too old to chase your dreams. It looks like a solitary sport, but it’s a Team." The triumphant swim was Nyad's fifth attempt. She first attempted the swim thirtyfive years earlier. Intense preparation, mental toughness and her mantra— find a way— helped Nyad realize her dream in her sixties that had eluded her as a young champion. Nyad garnered national attention at age 26 she swam the 28 miles around Manhattan Island in a recordbreaking 7 hours and 57 minutes. Diana Nyad grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She attended Pine Crest School and was the Florida State High School 100 and 200 meter Backstroke Champion. Nyad practiced frequently at Fort Lauderdale Beach. Nyad was inducted into the National Women's Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.
The 30-Year Rule: A Florida Department of State rule says that Historical markers must mark something historical: “No individual may be mentioned in a marker text until thirty years after the death of said person or thirty years after the significant event with which that person is associated.” Folks at the Department of State informed Dr. Long about the problem. She shuffled things around, added a few more swims, some uplifting language, and then submitted a second version.
Version 2 — February 21, 2018/April 2, 2024
Dr. Long aligns the text with the 30-year rule.
MARATHON SWIMMER DIANA NYAD [version 2] As a child growing up in Fort Lauderdale, Diana Nyad was a champion pool swimmer. She later trained off of this beach and became one of the best ocean swimmers in the world. At age 24, she was the first person to swim north to south across Lake Ontario. The record swim took 18 hours and 20 minutes. In 1975, 26-year-old Nyad swam around Manhattan Island in 7 hours, 57 minutes, breaking the previous record by over an hour. In 1979, she swam 102.5 miles from Bimini in the Bahamas to Jupiter, Florida, in just over 27 hours. But it was Nyad’s first attempt to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida, a 42-hour endeavor in 1978, which secured her place in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. She pursued the dream of a Cuba-to-Florida swim for 35 years, attempting the 110-mile swim five times. In 2013, after 52 hours, 54 minutes of continuous swimming, Nyad’s tenacity prevailed. She made history as the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. As she emerged from the sea in Key West, she declared: “Never ever give up.” Nyad’s story serves as inspiration to millions around the world. The Fort Lauderdale native’s achievements are a testament to the power of the human spirit.
On April 2, 2024, the Commissioners voted to send version 2 to the Florida State Historical Marker Council. But the Council somehow lost control over the marker. According to the Council’s chairman, “The decision regarding the award of a Marker for this application has been removed from this Council.” When I asked why, he didn’t respond.
Mayor Trantalis signed version 2 on April 10, 2024. A month later, I sent an analysis of the text’s exaggerations and lies to the Florida State Historical Marker Program staff. (I posted the analysis as “Diana Nyad’s Magic Marker.”)
Version 3 — September 10, 2024
Response to objections from “members of the public.”
In an email to Dr. Long and Mayor Trantalis, Florida Historical Marker Coordinator Jeremy Heiker wrote:
Earlier this year, the City of Fort Lauderdale expressed its approval of installing a historical marker for Diana Nyad.
However, objections were raised by members of the public regarding the accuracy of the information to be placed on the marker. Our office has reviewed the complaint and has made changes to the existing text in response. We believe that this attached edit is acceptable for publication. We hope that you agree.
Our office is prepared to move forward with the creation of this marker if all parties are still interested.
Thank you for your patience.
MARATHON SWIMMER DIANA NYAD [version 3] As a child growing up in Fort Lauderdale, Diana Nyad was a champion pool swimmer. She later trained offthis beachnearby beaches and became one of thebestmost renowned ocean swimmers in the world. At age 24, she was the first person to swim north to south across Lake Ontario. The swim took 18 hours and 20 minutes. In 1975, 26-year-old Nyad swam around Manhattan Island in 7 hours, 57 minutes, breaking the previous record. In 1979, she swam 102.5 miles from Bimini in the Bahamas to Jupiter, Florida, in just over 27 hours. Nyad first attempted to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida in 1978, failing after a 42-hour endeavor. She pursued the dream of a Cuba-to-Florida swim for 35 years, attempting the 110-mile swim five times. In 2013, after 52 hours, 54 minutes of swimming, Nyad prevailed. She made history as the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. As she emerged from the sea in Key West, she declared: “Never ever give up.” Nyad was inducted into the International Marathon Swimmer’s Hall of Fame in 1978 and her story continues to inspire millions around the world.
Version 4 — September 12, 2024
City staff members make minor changes.
MARATHON SWIMMER DIANA NYAD [version 4] As a child growing up in Fort Lauderdale, Diana Nyad was a champion pool swimmer. She later trained at nearby beaches and became one of the most renowned ocean swimmers in the world. At age 24, she was the first person to swim north to south across Lake Ontario. The swim took 18 hours and 20 minutes. In 1975, 26-year-old Nyad swam around Manhattan Island in 7 hours, 57 minutes, breaking the previous record. In 1979, she swam 102.5 miles from Bimini in the Bahamas to Jupiter, Florida, in just over 27 hours. Nyad initially attempted to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida in 1978, failing after a 42-hour endeavor. She pursued the dream of a Cuba-to-Florida swim for 35 years, attempting the 110-mile swim five times. In 2013, after 52 hours, 54 minutes of swimming, Nyad prevailed. She made history as the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. As she emerged from the sea in Key West, she declared: “Never ever give up.” Nyad was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1978 and her story continues to inspire others around the world.
On January 15, 2025, I emailed Alissa Lotane, director of the Florida Division of Historical Resources, and Jeremy Heiker, asking for the current marker text. They sent a copy of version 4.
I pointed out that it still had errors and asked who vetted the text. They replied, “We did. What are they? Please provide sources.” I described the errors and provided sources.
A few days later, I asked what sources they’d used for vetting. They responded with Dr. Long’s “Line by Line Verification of the Facts on the Marathon Swimmer Diana Nyad Historical Marker,” a document that presents contradictory articles and personal stories as proof. I was dumbfounded that someone with “Doctor” in front of her name would call the document “verification.”
I sent Heiker notes on Dr. Long’s “Line by Line Verification,” and I included sources — real ones, not stories about driving by Diana’s old house.
Version 5, February 14, 2025
A response to “some insight provided by a member of the public.”
Feb 14, 12:40 PM — In a message to Trantalis, Wyman, and Zachary Eakins-Durand, the mayor’s Community Outreach Director, Heiker asked for more changes:
Last April you approved text for a Florida Historical Marker regarding Diana Nyad’s youth in Ft Lauderdale and her accomplishments. Due to some insight provided by a member of the public, some changes have been made to the text.
These changes should not slow the production of the marker, but I wanted to make sure that you were aware of the changes and they are acceptable to you.
I have attached a signable PDF. If you wish to return that, I would happily accept it, but if you just want to send me an email that says “Yes” or “No” that is good too.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Feb 14, 12:49 PM —Heiker’s request puzzled Wyman:
Debby, Trish [Logan, the City’s Principal Urban Planner and Historic Preservation Board Liaison] – Not quite sure what’s going on here. But the state is wanting changes to the wording of the Diana Nyad historic marker. Can you review and see if it’s OK or if there is anything here that we cannot accept?
MARATHON SWIMMER DIANA NYAD [version 5]
As a child growing up in Fort Lauderdale, Diana Nyad was a champion pool swimmer. She swam at nearby beaches and became one of the most renowned ocean swimmers in the world. At age 24, she was the first person to swim north to south across Lake Ontario. The swim took 18 hours and 20 minutes. In 1975, 26-year-old Nyad swam around Manhattan Island in 7 hours, 57 minutes, breaking the previous record. In 1979, she swam from Bimini in the Bahamas to Florida, in just over 27 hours. Nyad initially attempted to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida in 1978, failing after a 42-hour endeavor. She pursued the dream of a Cuba-to-Florida swim for 35 years, attempting the 110-mile swim five times. In 2013, after 52 hours, 54 minutes of swimming, Nyad prevailed. She made history as the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. As she emerged from the sea in Key West, she declared: “Never ever give up.” She was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1978, and her story continues to inspire others around the world. In 2015, Nyad published Find a Way, a memoir about her life’s journey which was adapted into the film NYAD in 2023.
On February 25, 2025, Mayor Trantalis signed version 5, the version that Fort Lauderdale will likely unveil next month. This final version is the only one that acknowledges what brought the Nyad marker back from the grave: NYAD, the film ostensibly about “her life’s journey.” Unfortunately, the film — like the marker text — misses almost everything that’s fascinating and true about Diana Nyad.
NOTES ON CHANGES
Best or best-known?
Version 2: “Became one of the best ocean swimmers in the world.”
Version 3–5: “Became one of the most renowned swimmers in the world”
How far is it from the Bahamas to Florida?
Versions 2–4: “She swam 102.5 miles from Bimini in the Bahamas to Jupiter, Florida.
Version 5: “She swam from Bimini in the Bahamas to Florida.”
In her “Verification of Facts,” Dr. Long linked to one source that gave 60 miles and 89 miles, and to other sources that repeat Nyad’s 102.5 exaggeration.
Walter Poenisch swam from Cuba to Florida before Nyad’s first attempt, and the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame doesn’t induct for failed swims.
Version 1: “But it was Nyad’s first attempt to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida, a 42-hour endeavor in 1978, which secured her place in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.”
Version 5: “Nyad initially attempted to swim from Cuba to Florida in 1978.”
