Jared Butler learns to swim while preparing for NBA season

In the United States, as the NBA season approaches, Jared Butler, a guard for the Washington Wizards, is not only focusing on his basketball skills but also confronting a personal challenge: learning to swim. This endeavor stems from a childhood fear rooted in his family's history, as his mother never learned to swim, which influenced Butler's own apprehensions. He recalls a traumatic experience in the deep end of a pool that intensified his fear of swimming. To tackle this challenge, Butler sought assistance from the Wizards' employee engagement office, which connects players with resources to achieve personal goals. He was paired with swim instructor Dana Lapierre, who noted Butler's initial hesitance but also his remarkable progress. Butler's journey to overcome his fear of swimming is a testament to his resilience, paralleling his earlier battle with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic heart condition diagnosed at 18. He has since used his platform to raise awareness about this condition, encouraging others to seek help. Butler's commitment to personal growth, both in sports and life, highlights the importance of confronting fears and challenges head-on.