WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -- Nearly 85 years after contracting polio and almost 15 years after having major heart surgery, a West Hartford man is swimming off the coast of Cape Cod for charity.

Harry Arnini contracted polio when he was 2 years old and said he feels fortunate to have survived.

"At that time, most of them died. I was one of the fortunate ones," he said.

Polio affected Arnini's ability to walk, requiring him to wear leg braces and crutches for much of his youth. He said that while battling the disease, he received much encouragement, especially from his mother.

"My mother would tell me as a little boy, 'When you wake up, you can either be miserable and make other people miserable or you can have a good attitude.'"

Arnini said that he took up swimming while choosing to have a good attitude. He attributes swimming with helping him recover from the disease.

Although the aftereffects of polio left Arnini unable to kick his legs while swimming, he still swims a mile three times a week.

He said that having major heart in 1993 hasn't slowed him down.

"The aortic valve was leaking blood severely. I used to do laps down here and I would have to stop after each lap and I would get chest pains. Now I've got a brand new valve, it's working great."

He is currently preparing to take part in his fifth Swim For Life charity event in the Provincetown Harbor.

Arnini said he originally became involved in the event when his wife passed away.

"Nine months after my wife passed away, my daughter thought it would be great for me to get involved in something that would be benefiting someone," he said.

Since become involved in the event, Arnini has raised thousands of dollars by making the 1.4-mile swim.

The swim benefits multiple causes, including AIDS, women's health and youth organizations.

Arnini's friend Bob Smilnak said Arnini performed doing test swims to prepare for this year's race, which was last Saturday.

"Harry swam from Meigs Point, staying about 15 to 20 yards from shore, all the way to Hammonasset, there is one jetty to another jetty, and he swam pretty strongly," Smilnak said. .

"He has very powerful shoulders and he swims like a machine, so I don't worry," Smilnak said.

Many people consider Arnini to be equally as inspirational on land as he is in water.

Arnini is a retired art teacher, who said his interest in art began while he was confined in his home as a toddler with polio.

"Being able to dwell in art, drawing saved my sanity when I was home all those years because I couldn't do anything else," he said. "I like to work with materials and the kids in school. I was able to reach them if they made successful little projects like ceramics, jewelry and things they could relate to."

Arnini's fellow teachers, including longtime friend Jerry Sullivan, said they admire how he connected with his students.

"He was very well liked, very devoted. All of the people that I've met that were students of his have nothing but high praises," Sullivan said.

Sullivan said that Arnini is always offering a helping hand.

"Even though he's been sort of handicapped with his leg and everything, he never shied away from offering his services, doing everything and anything he could do for them," he said.

Arnini's helping hand recently extended to teaching a neighbor how to swim.

"Down the street we have a neighbor and he helped that neighbor because she was afraid of the water. She wouldn't go in the shallow end and by the end of the week, my grandpa had her in the water and swimming. She was so happy, she loves to swim now," said Arnini's granddaughter, Elise Youmans.

For information about the Swim For Life, visit its Web site.

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