Hundreds gathered at the St. Matthews Roman Catholic Church in Conshohocken on Saturday to bid farewell to the late long-distance swimmer Francis "Fran" Crippen.
Crippen, who was born in Bryn Mawr, died on Oct. 23 during a race in the Middle East. He was 26-years-old.
In addition to those at the funeral, many gathered at a nearby hall to watch a video of the ceremony.
“Every time he stepped into a room he just lit it up,” said Brad Pottieger, a friend of Crippin. “He was the hardest worker I knew.”
Crippin received numerous honors during his swimming career, including a Gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games and a Bronze medal at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships.
Crippin died during a grueling six-mile race in the United Arab Emirates. The cause of his death is still under investigation.
