Soul of a Swimmer is the true story of Nicholas Dworet, a champion swimmer from Florida. Through interviews with his family, friends, coaches and teammates, the book fondly describes the lifelong process of nurturing a child who has extraordinary talent and ebullient dreams as he develops into an elite athlete. As Nick matures, a young man with a remarkably humble and genuine character emerges amid his athletic successes. When he was a senior in high school, Nick found his Olympic dreams within reach. But tragically, his life was cut short in a school shooting. Nick’s story will resonate with the reader forever.

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  • “Nick’s story describes the unique commonalities competitive swimmers share, regardless of one’s stature in the sport. Nick reminds me that it’s not about the result; it’s about the journey. Like Nick, I have always known I’ve been on a journey, sometimes charmed, sometimes challenging, and always hard to anticipate. I can’t stop wondering, did Nick’s journey end, or was it just beginning?  You will not forget this book.” 

    — Ryan Lochte, four-time U.S. Olympian, 12-time Olympic medalist, world record holder 

  • “Anyone can write a story. But a swimmer writing about a fellow swimmer is extremely rare and very special. I read this book on one sitting. Nick’s story of family, two loving cultures, a village, grit, the pursuit of excellence in swimming, failure, triumph, and living a grow mindset, is a tear jerker. So many what if’s. A reminder to not just live, but live with a Soul. Nick’s Soul.”

    — 5 Star Amazon Review

  • “Nick's journey of coming into his own, not only through his passion for swimming but also in other important life values, is truly inspirational. Nick's story will help the reader explore their own journey as the book shares remarkable wisdom and drive that all of us can learn from.”

    — David Lopez-Zubero, Olympic medalist, three-time Olympian for Spain

  • “I expected to be overwhelmed with grief when I first picked up this book. Quickly I came to appreciate there was so much more to the story than the ending. The history of Nick's parents, the history of his friends and the village they lived in, gave the story so much depth and breadth. The details of the life of a starving athlete, with an Oreo addiction added humor to the mix. We all knew Michael Phelps consumed enormous amounts of calories and I found the connection here helped to make Nick even more human. The details of his kindness and love made him an angel. Thank you Carla Albano for putting this story into our lives. Nick lives on.”

    — 5 Star Amazon Review

  • “It hurt my heart when I read about this terrible tragedy. I remember meeting Nicholas' parents not long after Nicholas' death, and I can’t even imagine the pain his family had to go through. I'm glad I got to meet Nick during a competition in Sweden in 2017. He loved to swim, and it means a lot to me that I could be an inspiration to him.”

    — Sarah Sjöström, four-time Olympian for Sweden and the most accomplished European woman swimmer of the modern era with 14 career world records and four individual Olympic medals

  • “Soul of a Swimmer, is a beautiful narrative of Nick’s passion, struggles, self discovery and dedication. I felt a personal connection to him and his family build as I read each chapter. Nick’s positive influence on those around him along with the bright future he had, made the reality of what happened even more tragic. It is a story that needed to be shared.”

    — 5 Star Amazon Review

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Media

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Family of MSD shooting victim shares how they cope with loss of son four years later
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‘Soul of a Swimmer': Book Honors MSD Victim
Parkland victims remembered for what they loved
Parkland victims remembered for what they loved

About the Author

Carla Albano is a retired lawyer and business owner. She is a lifelong swimmer who got her start in Southern California in the 1960s and 1970s, where she enjoyed a modest level of success competing in the pool and open-water venues.  

In 1976, Carla was the first woman ocean lifeguard in Long Beach, Calif. That year, she became a breaststroker for California State University Long Beach women’s varsity swim team. She swam for CSULB for two years.   

Nearly 40 years later, she joined Swim Fort Lauderdale Masters swim team in Florida and decided to swim the legendary 12.5-mile race around Key West. It was while she was training for Key West in a remote ocean location that Carla learned of the Parkland school shootings.

Heartbroken for all the victims, and for the loss of one of her own, a swimmer, Carla returned home to a grieving community. Later, she met Mitch and Annika Dworet and learned about their exceptional family. Nick’s story needed to be told, and Carla felt compelled and honored to tell it.   

Carla resides in Hollywood, Fla., with her husband, George Cann.

You can contact Carla Albano at: carla@soulofaswimmer.com