Kelly Waters

Kelly Waters

Kelly Waters, of Rapid City, SD, grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation.  When she was 21, she participated in the 2005 PATHSTAR Alcatraz program.

A nonswimmer, she swam to stardom in the Alcatraz swim: “I was nervous. I almost started hyperventilating. A lot of thoughts were going through my mind. Would I finish the swim?  Who would I let down if I didn’t?  I didn’t think that I had it in me to finish. But after all those feelings came through and it came time to jump into the water, I realized I couldn’t carry those feelings with me. I didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity.”
She relates, “I came out of the water with a lot more than I brought to San Francisco. It was definitely a life-changing experience. It taught me a lot about discipline and motivation. I applied that to my school and work life. I’ve never stayed at a job as long as I have now.  It taught me that I needed stability in my life. I needed a goal.  It taught me that I can achieve anything that I set my mind to.  That’s something I apply to my life every day now.”

Kelly is a full-time college student and is working toward an Associate’s Degree in business. She hopes to start a youth program on the Pine Ridge reservation.  She recently became the happy mother of a healthy baby girl.