MS Now’s Peter Alexander Pays Tribute to Sister with Rare Disorder Before Her Alcatraz Swim: ‘You Inspire Me Every Day’
Peter Alexander announced during the Friday, Oct. 16 episode of State of Play that his sister, Rebecca Alexander, will swim from Alcatraz to San FranciscoRebecca, who has Usher syndrome, will be making the 1.25-mile…
Peter Alexander announced during the Friday, Oct. 16 episode of State of Play that his sister, Rebecca Alexander, will swim from Alcatraz to San FranciscoRebecca, who has Usher syndrome, will be making the 1.25-mile swim to benefit the Usher Syndrome Society, the MS Now journalist saidTheir sister Lauren will serve as Rebecca’s support swimmer, due to Rebecca’s vision loss and hearing loss
Peter Alexander wished his two sisters good luck as they swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco.
His sister, Rebecca Alexander, will swim the 1.25-mile distance on Saturday, Oct. 17, as part of the USH X Swim Alcatraz event to raise money for the Usher Syndrome Society. Rebecca, 47, is one of 10 swimmers with Usher syndrome, the MS Now journalist said during the Friday, Oct. 16 episode of State of Play. Peter and Rebecca’s sister Lauren will serve as Rebecca’s support swimmer.
Usher syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes vision loss, hearing loss and balance issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Rebecca, a psychotherapist and endurance athlete, was first diagnosed at 19 years old after the first signs of the disorder appeared when she was a child.
“Before we go, I hope you will indulge me a moment of pride as a big brother,” Peter began near the end of State of Play. “For years, I have shared the story of my sister Rebecca, who is the most impressive, the most courageous person I know, and she’s going to prove it again tomorrow.”
Usher syndrome “progressively robs you of your vision and your hearing,” Peter explained, adding that Rebecca’s current vision is similar to “looking through a small straw.”
As Peter described Rebecca’s upcoming feat, he called her a “badass,” and shared that the swim is to “raise awareness and money for the Usher Syndrome Society, which is “dedicated to finding treatments to halt her vision loss.”
“For Bec, this means a mile and a half swim with limited vision and no functional hearing,” he said. “Imagine that.”
Rebecca first swam Alcatraz a decade ago, Peter said.
“Rebecca, you inspire me every day,” he said. “Lauren, you are one awesome sister. Go crush it tomorrow, ladies. I am so psyched, and I couldn’t be more proud of both of you. I love you guys.”
Rebecca previously spoke in depth about her diagnosis alongside Peter on TODAYin May 2024, explaining that she began struggling with vision loss and hearing loss at age 12 and 13, respectively.
As a young girl, she couldn’t “quite comprehend” her vision loss, but she adjusted well, Rebecca said on the morning show.
“If I went to a movie, I’d have to grab someone’s arm,” she said on TODAY. “Usually, in people with retinitis pigmentosa, the vision below them can be very difficult. So, I tripped over the dogs a lot.”
By age 13 she needed hearing aids. At the time, doctors didn’t believe it was linked to her vision loss. Once she started college, she “experienced a significant dip” in her hearing. “I couldn’t hear people speak to me over the tinnitus. The ringing was so loud,” she said.
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Once she visited an ophthalmologist and an otolaryngologist at 19 years old, she was diagnosed with Usher syndrome type 3. “Developmentally, I could not really wrap my head around it and I developed these superficial coping strategies,” she admitted.
Although she initially tried to “run away from this very overwhelming diagnosis,” she decided to embrace it and wants to become a role model for those who are also diagnosed.
“To be able to become a role model for people that you needed, it almost feels like you’re healing your inner child,” she told TODAY. “(It) feels so incredible that we did it.”
