Thornton Oaks Residents Speak

Ev Hanke

Ev Hanke is a longtime resident of Thornton Oaks and he’s pretty much up for anything—like joining a swim team at the urging of his friend, Norm Seagrave.

“My family was really surprised when I joined the relay team. On vacations, I tend to sit on the beach with a book. But you’re never too old to try new things.” It paid off for Ev. The four-man team are FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation) world record holders in the 200 meter relay. Ev learned to swim as a boy at the Brooklyn YMCA—no suits. He quips, “If I swam that way today I could knock some seconds off my time.”