Diana Nyad on epic journey from Cuba to Florida; says she “got lucky”

Record-breaking swimmer Diana Nyad joined “New Day” to talk about her epic journey swimming from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage, flippers or wet suit. In her fifth attempt, 64-year-old Nyad swam 103 miles in 53 hours. Nyad shared her “very isolating” experience with CNN’s Kate Bolduan, discussing the challenges she’s faced over the last four decades trying to achieve this goal and the reasons behind her perseverance. Nyad told CNN that during October 8-10, she will be swimming for 48 hours in a pool built in New York City to raise money for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. From there, she will take this fundraising event to help the victims of the Boston marathon attack and Moore, Oklahoma tornado.

“This time, I got lucky. I mean, the waves were tough. The jellyfish mask, that I’m so lucky to have, made me take in a lot of salt water. I was very sick. But, the Gulf Stream was my friend,” Nyad said.

“When you’re feeling good and you’re cruising through the daylight hours, you’re singing Neil Young songs to yourself. And counting in French and German and Spanish. Just passing the time in sort of metronomic ways,” Nyad said. “But when you’re suffering, and I have to say that through the nights, I had two nights of full suffering this time with the mask with the salt water. Now you’re not thinking of anything. You’re just coping and surviving, and your team is somehow helping you making it through every 15 minutes, every hour. Let’s not give up.”

On the meaning behind her swim, Nyad said, “The people that follow me aren’t sports hounds…. They’re human beings who are dealing with their own heartaches, and their own obstacles in life. And they want to know how to get through. And I think I’m a person who represents, A, You never give up. You find a way if something really is important to your heart, you look and see what’s inside yourself, and you find a way.”

“New Day” airs weekday mornings from 6-9 a.m. ET on CNN.