So. Lafourche swimmer battles for each breath

By the time Dylan Danos graduates from South Lafourche High School, he’s sure to have left his mark.

The 14-year-old swimmer likely won’t be remembered as one of the best to come out of the Galliano school, nor is he likely to shatter school records, but he will always be embedded in the hearts of his coaches and teammates.

Watching the teen coast through the water, no one would ever suspect capturing his next breath is an arduous task.

And as he continues to better his swim times at each meet, spectators would likely be shocked to learn he’s swimming with the use of only one lung.

At infancy, Dylan was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.

The heritable disease makes breathing difficult, and can often lead to chronic lung infections and also affects the digestive system. It causes a production of abnormally thick and sticky mucus, which obstructs the lungs and the pancreas.

And it left Troy and Angie Danos’ son with only 37 percent use of one lung. His second lung has entirely shut down, making it practically non-existent.

The freshman undergoes two breathing treatments, 45 minutes daily, to keep his lungs open. He also hopes to soon be added to the waiting list for a lung transplant.

But that hasn’t slowed Dylan.

His credo: You can do anything you put your mind to.

“Doctors say swimming is good for you, and it’s something I love to do,” the teen said. “Since I was little, I really enjoyed it. I loved the water.

“A whole bunch of my friends were doing it and I decided I needed to give it a try,” Dylan added.

The Larose native was age 6 at the time; minus a brief absence two years ago when health issues kept him away, Dylan’s been competing ever since.

But pursuing his passion hasn’t been easy.

He’s managed to fight through respiratory infections, surgeries and treatments with support from family and friends.

“I have to get up at 5 every morning to do my breathing treatment,” Dylan explained. “Then I come to school, go to practice in the afternoon, home and it’s more treatments again. It’s not fun.”

And then there’s the wait to be added to the list for a lung transplant. Once on the registry, he’s guaranteed to get new lungs within 60 days.

Dylan’s addition to the Tarpons’ swim team’s roster marks his return to the sport.

South Lafourche swimming coach Corey Callais said he knew of Dylan’s talent long before the 14-year-old came calling for a spot on the squad.

Callais and the Danos family are old friends. There was never any hesitation when Dylan expressed interest in joining the Tarpons’ swim team.

“I knew, at the beginning, it would be tough for him to keep up with the workout,” Callais said. “He’ll push himself to his limit.”

That drive, the coach noted, is paying off medically.

“It’s helping his lung capacity,” he explained. “It’s keeping his lungs as healthy as can be, and it’s keeping him happy.

“He came out, took the challenge and he has excelled,” Callais added. “We are very proud of what he has accomplished – not only as a swimmer, but he’s a great kid to be around.”

When Dylan first joined the swim team, Callais said most of his teammates were not aware of the freshman’s condition. He quickly earned the respect of others with his drive to improve and see the team succeed.

“The kids will do anything for him,” the coach said. “The kids rally around him. His work ethic is so much stronger than everybody else’s because it is so much more of a fight for him.”

Because of Dylan’s enthusiasm, it’s common for Callais to remind the teen to slow down and catch his breath.

“He’ll go to the point where he has no air and he can’t breathe and we have to settle him down,” the coach explained. “He strives for that improvement. His times have been getting better and better each and every meet. That’s what he is looking for.”

Dylan admits he competes without abandon – and he wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Sometimes, I am very surprised by myself,” he boasts. “Being able to keep up with everybody and trying to live a normal life as a teenager is all I’m trying to do.

“Sometimes I get pretty mad when I can’t keep up with some of the other people,” he added. “For the most part, I just deal with it the best way I can.”

When Dylan’s not swimming his daily 3,000 meters, “normal life as a teenager” is spent watching TV, hanging out with friends or playing his second favorite sport – soccer.

When the Tarpons’ swim season ends, Dylan’s got his sights set on joining the school’s soccer team.

But dreams of playing like Pele will never replace his love for swimming.

“I just love all the new people I meet and just being in the water,” Dylan said. “I could have let (cystic fibrosis) get to me, but I didn’t. Everyone has been so supportive through everything.”

Callais said Dylan’s eagerness to improve and be viewed the same as his teammates are what make him unique.

“It’s very inspiring,” the coach said of his freshman swimmer. “To have a kid who basically has one-third of one lung available and to take part in athletics, it’s got to come from the heart. We haven’t seen a kid with this much heart (at South Lafourche).

“What he lacks in his lungs, he far outweighs with his heart,” he added.