Manitou Springs swimmer adept at overcoming adversity

LOVELAND • At the conclusion of each of her races Friday, Storrie Cramer glanced at the scoreboard, pumped her fists and smiled.

After overcoming serious personal obstacles, the Manitou Springs senior was determined to enjoy every moment of the Class 4A state swimming championships.

Cramer finished 14th in the preliminaries of the 100-yard butterfly and 16th in the 100 breaststroke to advance to today’s consolation rounds at Mountain View High School — the first time she’s moved on to the second day of the state meet.

That didn’t seem possible after a car accident during her sophomore year led to head and neck injuries, along with a broken arm. And swimming wasn’t the main concern in November 2008, when she and her mother nearly died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Cramer might have smiled a little wider than the other competitors Friday, but she deserved it.

“I came into this meet wanting to have fun,” she said. “I wanted to enjoy it, and that’s what I’m doing.”

The car accident served as her first major hurdle. Cramer was the passenger in a car that was hit by a bus. She spent two months in a cast for a broken radius bone, and concussion symptoms persisted as well. It was a six-month setback during which she missed the high school swim season.

Another scare came a year later when she woke in the middle of the night smelling gas and feeling ill. The car was running in the garage — she and her mother don’t know how it happened — and the carbon monoxide was seeping into the house.

Cramer acted quickly and saved her mother’s life by rousing her from her sleep. For three days, Cramer had to be in a hyperbaric chamber to clean out the carbon monoxide from her system.

Cramer was determined not to let that episode deter her, and she returned to the pool in a week.

“It was a physical setback, but mentally it made me stronger,” said Cramer, who received a swimming scholarship to Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. “It was a sign to show I was meant to live. It made me more motivated.”

Last year at state, Cramer was a bit disappointed that she didn’t finish among the top 16 in either of her events. Advancing to swim today in her final state meet was a joyous accomplishment.

“She’s gone through a lot,” Manitou Springs coach Roy Chaney said. “Either way, for her to focus again on swimming, she’s come a long way. She’s proud, and as her coach, I’m proud of her.”