Woman completes 48-hour swim for Hurricane Sandy victims

NEW YORK, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- A woman who spent 48 hours swimming laps in a pool installed at a New York intersection raised more than $100,000 for Hurricane Sandy victims.

Diana Nyad, who became famous as the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage last month, completed her 48 hours of swimming Thursday in a pool specially installed in the city's Herald Square, WABC-TV, New York, reported Thursday.

Nyad said her goal was to raise awareness of those still suffering from the damage caused by the hurricane and raise funds to help the victims. She said her attempt raised more than $100,000.

"I could say I'm from New York, and I feel for anything these people go through," she said. "Whether it be terrorists or a natural disaster."

"Sandy was a year ago," Nyad said. "You know better than I do that there are people still struggling, people still homeless, and even though I want to remind people they aren't making the front pages, we haven't forgotten."