Katie Ledecky leads by example. And she certainly knows how to win hearts too! At 27, she is an inspirational figure to many and, undisputedly, one of the greatest to have stroked the waters. Thus, swimmers of all ages dream of having at least one ‘fan moment’ with her in their lives. Such is the story of a 10-year-old braveheart who recently fought a mighty health battle and was rewarded by meeting her favorite Ledecky.

Freeing herself from the claws of cancer, young swimmer Laura Paluck was greeted by the 21x World Champion with a surprise meet. This sweet gesture by Ledecky is being loved by her fans online. They reckon acts like these are why she is not just a legend but a beautiful human.

Katie Ledecky’s moving gesture for a cancer survivor

Taking to her Instagram account, Katie Ledecky added a post combined with ESPN, narrating a soul-stirring story. Over three slides of short videos, the post describes Laura Paluck’s fight against bone cancer. Diagnosed with osteosarcoma, Laura had to undergo chemotherapy and learn to walk again with her titanium and plastic impacts in her left leg. Unfortunately, all this deterred her from her Junior Olympics swimming training that was previously underway.

But after a successful recovery, Laura made it back to the swim team. And soon, her biggest wish came true. After being filmed underwater, Laura and her entire team looked at the big screen, awaiting some technique reviews. Only when the happiest moment of Laura’s life occurred, engulfing her in a whirlwind of emotions. Her idol, Katie Ledecky, appeared on TV and said, “This message is for Laura Paluck. I wanted to let you know that, on behalf of the Make a Wish Foundation, your wish to meet me has been granted. So go get your swimsuit and come down to Florida. We’re going to have some fun!”

Next, she meets Ledecky in Florida, who greets her with a warm hug. And after signing a Team USA swimming cap for Laura, the two jump into the pool. In the water, Ledecky appreciated the child’s skills by saying, “You have a great stroke!” And then they get on with the drills Ledecky had planned, including one to get Laura’s tempo up in backstroke. Finally, ending the day with some wise words out of the pool, the veteran gives her some ‘gold medal motivation.’

Amidst all this, fans flood the comment section, applauding Ledecky’s thoughtful training session. Including Olympian swimmer Katie Grimes, who could not help but hail Ledecky for this act.

Fan love pours in for Ledecky from all corners

Well, the appreciation that came in for Ledecky was just heartwarming. Even 18-year-old Katie Grimes, who recently punched her ticket to the French capital, joined the list of supporters. She wrote, “This is awesome!” for her Team USA Olympic swimmer contemporary. Echoing this sentiment were multiple others who typed praise for the Washington, DC, native below the post.

Katie Ledecky knows how to give back to the community, and this has touched people’s hearts. As part of the Athleta Power of She collective, Ledecky does her bit toward empowering multiple females. And with what she did for Laura now, a fan believes, “This is why she’s the female G.O.A.T of swimming. I love this.” It’s not just the athletic accolades, but such acts that make people look up to her. This conviction comes alive as another writes, “So neat! You’re such an amazing role model for the entire swim community! ❤️”

One of the fans took the adjective game a notch higher as they wrote, “@katieledecky- you are a class act! ❤” Well, with 15 NCAA records, 10 Olympic medals, and a plethora of swimming achievements, that statement is barely disputable for her. But it applies to her as an individual too. Supporting the same, another fan chimed in with, “❤️❤️ @katieledecky amazing! Such a beautiful athlete inside and out!” 

Moreover, the impact of this gesture resonates the most with families that have gone through similar pain. One such fan remarked, “As the momma of a childhood cancer survivor, I thank you on behalf of all the families who want to see their kiddos’ dreams come true. Thank you, Katie, for being an exceptional human in addition to being the extraordinary athlete and inspiration you are to all of us.” 

What do you all feel about Katie Ledecky’s gesture? Let us know below.