From Cuba To Florida – John Bartlett’s Final Journey With Diana Nyad

After encountering John Bartlett in Netflix’s “Nyad”, spectators may wonder what became of him after he helped Diana realize what she wanted to achieve. While there have been numerous sports documentaries based on real-life events, “Nyad” stands out by telling a very intriguing story about a 60-year-old woman named Dianna Nyad who vowed to swim from Cuba to Florida, a 110-mile journey. The idea behind this film is undeniably intriguing, but Nyad’s relationships with people such as Bonnie Stoll and John Bartlett are the highlights of the movie.

A Sneak Peek Into John Bartlett’s “Nyad”

Director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s biographical sports drama Nyad is based on the true memoirs of an athletic swimmer Diana Nyad. Decades after switching professions to become a successful sports journalist, Diana partners up with her best friend to coach her throughout the 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida that she always wanted to do at the age of sixty.

Is Nyad’s John Bartlett A Real Person? 

John Bartlett, like Nyad, is based on an actual human being who acted as her navigator. The video makes it apparent that Bartlett is extremely informed about Nyad’s mission, analyzing his expertise as a sailor who has been into risky waters on numerous occasions. When Nyad needed a partner to aid her in excelling in her purpose, she knew Bartlett was the ideal fit because he wasn’t in it for himself and could help her competitively and personally.

John Bartlett’s Severe Illness Led to His Death…

Bartlett died of cardiac arrest in his sleep on December 10, 2013, just a few months after Diana completed the swim. He passed away at 66. He leaves behind his wife of 21 years, Elke Margaret Thuerling. The film’s final scenes honor Nyad’s memory.

When Nyad ended up being the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida, Bartlett erupted into tears, filled with love and excitement. Part of that emotion arose from Bartlett’s awareness that he had not been in good physical health, and he wanted to see Diana realize her ambitions before he died.

How Important Was John Bartlett to Diana Nyad and Her Expedition?

Bartlett proved to be tremendously helpful in Diana Nyad’s quest, as his duty as primary navigator required him to keep her on naturally throughout. Stoll, who plays Jodie Foster in the film, told Radio Times that Bartlett and Nyad were incredibly close friends. Bartlett was extremely acquainted with the Gulf Stream and was capable of serving as her navigator for her last three Cuba-to-Florida voyages, the last of which ended successfully.

Nyad also reiterated the worth of Bartlett’s status, according to Time. She remembers Bartlett detailing changes in the Gulf Stream that triggered eddies, which are small, circular pockets of flowing water. Eddies can be extremely dangerous, forcing swimmers at high velocity into a strong current. However, they can also be used to somebody’s advantage. Bartlett uncovered good ones, allowing Nyad to be dragged along toward Florida while retaining her precious energy.

He pledged his heart, soul, and decades worth of knowledge to the seas of the Caribbean Sea. He was meticulous and regularly rechecked his course as Nyad and her escort boat were being tossed and driven left, right, forward, and backward during each swim.

A statement from his friend Steven Munatones, Bartlett was everything a swimmer wants, needs, and expects from their guide. “I recall in tropical storms, for extended stretches – 10, 15, 20 hours – John would be watching Diana and double-examining his course with the severity of a chess player and the wisdom of a veteran mariner. “His intellect, curiosity, and sense of challenge were an excellent match for Diana and the Florida Straits.”