Susie's Journey
The name Susie Fawcett may not immediately strike a chord with Sun Devil faithful, but soon, it should. Susie was an All-American Swimmer at Arizona State in the 90s, garnering the honor in 1993 for the 200 medley relay and the 400/800 Free Relay. In addition to her success in the pool, she earned Pac-10 All-Academic First Team Honors in 1996 and Second Team honors in 1994 & ‘95.
Following her success in Maroon & Gold, Fawcett immediately began making an impact in the community, becoming a Phoenix Firefighter, eventually earning the rank of Captain.
Shortly after joining, in 1998 however, Susie suffered severe burns while fighting a structure fire that saw her in need treatment from the Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health. She made a full recovery, something not everyone is as lucky to do, and once again, immediately knew she wanted to start giving back.
She has supported the Arizona Burn Center since her time there, volunteering her time and helping support those going through experiences like hers. Now, she’s taking a massive leap forward with her efforts and is set to join Courage Rising, a group of burn survivors, medical staff and supporters of the Arizona Burn Center, on an expedition to climb the highest free-standing mountain in the world, Mt. Kilimanjaro.
The journey, which will take place this June, is comprised of burn survivors, medical professionals and donors from Valleywise Health Foundation all working toward the same goal of raising awareness for burn survivors and proving they can accomplish anything thanks to the critical aid provided by the Arizona Burn Center – Valleywise Health.
Susie perfectly encapsulates the Sun Devil spirit as she is constantly pushing Onward to Victory, whatever “Victory” is defined as in that moment. When she isn’t working as a firefighter, she coaches swim at Chandler Prep, instilling values of courage and persistence in each of the young people she impacts.
“It taught me about perseverance and working towards a goal and sticking through the hard times,” Susie said when explaining her passion behind swim. “You can't always win at everything but if you work towards a goal, you can succeed!”
To support our swim & dive student athletes or female student-athletes like Susie who want to make their mark on their communities and the world, use the links below:
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To learn more about Susie’s journey with Courage Rising and her trek to Kilimanjaro or provide her with support directly, click the link below:
