And year after year, these communities have worked together with members of Congress in an attempt to ensure that Rocky Mountain National Park will forever remain as breathtaking as it is today.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Signs Major Public Lands Protections

Nyad's first attempt to cross the Straits of Florida was in 1978, when rocky seas left her battered, delirious and less than halfway toward her goal.

CNN: August 20, 2012 -- Updated 1157 GMT (1957 HKT)