Fairfield Residents Take the Ice Plunge for a Good Cause

More than 20 people braved the frigid conditions to plunge into the waters of the Southport Harbor on New Year’s Day in the 15th Annual Farcical Aquatic Ceremony at Ye Yacht Yard.

The plunge raises money for EBResearch.org and other charities in support of former Fairfield resident Shane DiGiovanna, who suffers from epidermolysis bullosa, a rare and painful skin disease.

Shane inspired the crowd prior to the plunge as his message from Cincinnati was played over the loudspeaker, according to the Fairfield Citizen.

In his message, Shane thanked everyone for taking the plunge.

“Your brief moment of pain in the water is helping a lot of people to eventually not have to feel that pain,” Shane said. “Think of this as the opposite of the Ice Bucket Challenge. Instead of dumping ice on your head, you’re dumping yourselves into freezing ice. So everybody, let’s get jumping.”

Shane’s grandmother, Kathy DiGiovanna, was at the plunge in Southport and told the Fairfield Citizen that Shane now lives with his family in Cincinnati and is “doing OK,” even though 30 percent to 40 percent of his body is wrapped in gauze because his skin is so fragile.

“He has a lot of issues, but that’s all he’s ever known,” DiGiovanna told the Citizen. “He’s got a big group of friends at school. He’s terrific.”

Read more about the New Year’s Day event at the Fairfield Citizen here.

To see more people taking the plunge for Shane from all over — from Cincinnati, Oregon, Vermont, Disney and more — visit the Farcical Aquatic Ceremony Facebook page here.

The 23 jumpers who took the plunge in Southport/ Photo via the Farcical Aquatic Ceremony Facebook page