Swimming Gibraltar
When Chicago police officer Nial Funchion swam across the Straits of Gibraltar recently, he was joined by some unexpected guests: a family of killer whales.
“I was so focused on making it through that I never even noticed the whales were there. I knew everybody was looking at something else, but I figured it was a boat,” Funchion said.
“I didn’t find out until after I finished that a family of whales had been following me. They were only about a hundred yards behind me, and the pictures my team took look really cool, but I’m glad nobody told me at the time.”
Funchion, who has been swimming all his life, made the 12-mile swim Oct. 6 from Tarifa, Spain to Morocco in an impressive 3 hours, 50 minutes, to raise awareness for the non-profit police organization, The Brotherhood of the Fallen.
Labels: good news
posted by SCC at 12:05 AM
43 Comments:
nial!! Great guy and great swimmer.. But I think he might have gotten a little bit too much water trapped in his head in his life time... either way, Great job nial. thanks for doing it for a great cause.
How about posting some picture if he has them?
That's fucking awesome! Great job!
Officer, many thanks. You are a true person.
Nial is a hell of a swimmer, fantastic shape and a good Marine Unit officer. He swam the length of the shoreline of Chicago from Indiana to Evanston.
Way to go Nial.
Thanks Nial, you are one of chicagos finest and general nice guy.... P. S. Have you seen the water surrounding Manhattan? Yuck!
Way to go brother pls post some pics
Way to go Nial! Truly an inspirational guy. If you've never met Nial I suggest you head over to the Marine Unit and spend five minutes with the him...he'll change your perspective on life. He is a ball of energy and the most positive guy you'll ever meet.
Nial, you are an aquatic madman! Thanks for all your help, enthusiasm and amazing support.
SMART Guy
Wife of riding down with a car full of teachers. We will be there.
He had to make the news swimming the English Channel to get offered a spot in the marine unit, the guy swims like aquaman and had to make the news to get a clout spot destined to someone else, love this job
Wow...very impressive. Good job.
Good Luck Niall!
He can out swim a killer whale but he is probably deamed not "clout heavy enough" or worthy to be in the marine unit. Just like you can be Roy Rodgers, an equestrian champ or Wilbur Post and still not get in the Mounted Unit, Just like you can be a ex-navy seal or a ex-marine sniper and not be qualified for the "Swat unit", just like you can be a distinguished officer in the army and still be a blue shirt for 20 years, just like you can be one of Charlie Chans's number 1 sons or Charlie Chan himself and not be made a dick, Just like you can be canine expert and world renowned trainer or the dog whisperer and still not be chosen to be a dog handler. But you can be a goofball bosses hairgell son and get on days or the goofball tact team, or any of the above units in a quick phone call. J-Jag never adressed this, the media never addressed this and the new mayor or his McPuppet never adressed it either and still "morale is high" and "Crime is down", bawhahahahahaha/.
+
Way to go Niall! Would love to see some pics. Post a link on here so we can donate on your future challenges.
- a former Shoreline employee
A marine unit officer. Wonders never cease. Usually the CPD would put a guy like this on a walking post
OK - But who cares?
Guy in my unit bowled a 300 game a few months back. Bought him dinner with the rest of the group.
OK - But who cares?
But is he qualified for the marine unit?
A gifted athlete sharing the fruits of his blessings with those in need.
They don't get much better than that.
Simply put... THANK YOU!
Thank you Nial for being a true ambassador to the cpd.
What a great guy! Thanks for a job well done! If possible, can the FOP maybe recognize this officer with an award? He sure deserves it.
"P. S. Have you seen the water surrounding Manhattan? Yuck!"
The waters around Manhattan are freakin' Perrier compared to what they were like when I was growing up on the other side of NY Harbor in the late 60s-early 70s. We kids thought that used condoms were some sort of fish.
Nice job bro! Dude that is awesome with the whales! What an experience...
3 bars
I shot a hole in one ten years ago...
Nial look forward to meeting you, what an inspiration!, swimming with killer whales, but nothing compares to swimming with sharks here in Chicago.
Besides nail, I personally know of two beat guys that could smoke the sh;t out of anyone else on the marine unit in a 500 free.
How many movers and parkers has he written? How many one-bag weed arrests? That's the important stuff!
I had a hole in one while golfing about 10 years ago. The press never came to interview me. Of course, I detest the press and wouldn't have talked to them anyway. Never forget how most all them hate the police. In any event congratualtions FISH HEAD.
Awesome... Swimming is no joke! To go to the other side of the planet and to something as marvelous as this is phenomenal. This is hero status, someone give him the key to the city!
Nial is very qualified for the Marine Unit. He had already swam the English channel and was denied a spot on in the unit because he was deemed "not qualified". He sued and was given his spot. He is an awesome man and true ambassoder and very humble. to the poster of the 300 game of bowling, no comparison jackass.
I have to respond to the "gifted athelete", line.
Son, there was not a shitbird alive that could've out run me or my partner when we were young. The rest of my friends(Po-Po) were all atheletes too. WE are the Chicago Police.
As we get older, we learned the buety(sp?) of an educated radio.
Welcome to the game kid.
OK - But who cares?
Guy in my unit bowled a 300 game a few months back. Bought him dinner with the rest of the group.
OK - But who cares?
10/22/2011 12:14:00 PM
Whoever posted this an assh$@e. He swam for Brotherhood for the Fallen. Great job Nial. To the coward who posted who cares look in the mirror. You are a real douchebag.
Congratulations! Way to go from the S.M.E.L.T.S.
;-)
Nial, WOW I am very proud of you. Please keep you your hard work and effort.
Brother in Blue
Killer whales??? Fuck that.....
Anonymous said...
I have to respond to the "gifted athelete", line.
Son, there was not a shitbird alive that could've out run me or my partner when we were young. The rest of my friends(Po-Po) were all atheletes too. WE are the Chicago Police.
As we get older, we learned the buety(sp?) of an educated radio.
Welcome to the game kid.
10/22/2011 11:01:00 PM
Brother, I feel sorry for you since now it appears that you turned into a cynical, self-centered old grouch.
Apparently you missed the point about a gifted brother who applied his physical talents for the good of the department by donating to the Brotherhood of the Fallen.
Thanks for being the police.
I'm sure that you never made detective since you would have found that SCC has a 'spell-check' available to help you with "athlete and beauty."
No offense, just back at ya brother.
And don't call me kid! :)
Great job Nial!!!
Nial!!!!!!!! Nial!!!!!!!!!!!! Nial!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Old Retired Guy Here;
I love this story. It reflects a zest for life and adventure, beyond one's daily chores. When all is said and done, this is the type of guy who will enjoy life a lot more than the folks that sit at bar's, tell war stories, and bitch about the job. I would encourage all who read this blog, to do stuff like this. Don't allow the job, and its negatives, dominate, and take control of your life.
Believe it or not he had a bitch of a time getting into Marine Unit. He apparently didn't have the right qualifications..er I mean phone call so he was deemed not highly qualified. It was only after someone threatened to break the injustice to the media that he finally got into the unit. It's all legit though right?
Nial got into the Marine unit because the FOP (Shiela Burke) filed a grievance on the testing procedures. The arbitrator had a good laugh at the cities expense. Give the credit where it is due. There was no media or lawsuit.
Wow Nial!! Seriously Killer Whales? Simply amazing! Keep it up.
being a good swimmer doesen't make you a good marine officer
So what exactly is his "Funchion"?
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