At just 11 years old, Myles Mosby is a Merrillville swimmer making a big splash. He has made divisional cuts in the 11U competitive swimming 50 yard freestyle, 50 yard breaststroke, 50 yard backstroke, and the 100 yard breaststroke, and he’s gearing up for a competition this spring that could make him a State finalist. The road to this amazing accomplishment is a hard-fought journey upstream, however, as Myles Mosby was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on October 28, 2020, bringing about some challenging hurdles as he works towards his goal of one day becoming an Olympic swimmer.
Despite the hardships encountered, Myles Mosby is always ready to take on each day with a smile on his face, as his journey and always-positive attitude have allowed him to encounter once-in-a-lifetime, heartwarming experiences while finding a community that’s always in his lane.
Myles Mosby was first introduced to swimming when his mother, Tiffany Mosby, encouraged him to try out for a team. While it’s hard to imagine a time now where Myles Mosby wasn’t bursting with excitement to jump in a pool, he at first wasn’t interested in the sport at all. Once the tryouts were underway, however, his mind quickly changed.
“I didn't want to do it at first, but my mom brought me to try out for a team. Then, I just fell in love with the sport,” Myles Mosby said.
Things took a drastic turn a little over four years ago when Myles Mosby was given his type 1 diabetes diagnosis. While distraught, the Mosby family was set on tackling his diagnosis head on and worked to see the positives during this challenging time. That mindset prompted a unique opportunity to travel down south to the Sunshine State for a conference that provides resources, support, and community for children with diabetes.
“At first I was sad, but the second year, my mom sent a poem or an essay to this corporation called Friends for Life in Orlando. We got a scholarship for it and went to Florida for the conference,” Myles Mosby said.
The conference was monumental for Myles Mosby, as he was able to meet tons of kids who have a similar story to his own. Many of these kids became lifelong friends and have been a tremendous source of support as he learns how to live life as a young diabetic.
“It got better from there because I made friends who also had diabetes and understood how I felt about diabetes,” he said.
Another strong source of support was his medical team at Comer Children’s Hospital, which has been incredible in helping the entire Mosby family navigate this journey. The hospital helped equip them with a team of specialists – including an endocrinologist, a child life specialist, a psychologist, an on-call doctor, and many others – at their side 24/7 for help and guidance, something the Mosby family greatly appreciates.
“When he was diagnosed, he had the opportunity to go to Comer, and he was admitted immediately,” Tiffany Mosby said. “Comer has a type 1 diabetes support group, which is absolutely amazing. With diabetes, not only are the children diagnosed but the family also goes through it. It’s a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week chronic illness that has to be monitored constantly, unfortunately, for the rest of his life. The support group was amazing because not only does it have other children who have been diagnosed with hyperdiabetes but we also find parents we can talk to. Not even 10% of diabetics are type 1, and it's kind of rare to find support like that. Part of the support is the emotional support, so having that in addition to physical support is so important. We were able to find that not just for him but also for us, and it’s been absolutely beneficial – he does have a community.”
To help those in the community around them, Tiffany Mosby has also published a couple of books on his son’s journey. The family has been very active in educating others about Myles Mosby’s condition and teaching their son that it’s okay to speak out and to let others know they aren’t alone in the battle.
Now, thanks to the many avenues of support and Myles Mosby’s effervescent, upbeat attitude, October 28 – a day that was once viewed with a plethora of negative emotions – is a day the Mosby family loves to celebrate in honor of their son every year.
“October 28 is when he was diagnosed, and we do celebrate that day,” Tiffany Mosby said. “It's called his ‘dia-versery.’ The reason we celebrate this day – we go all out for him – is because we want to say, ‘We are so proud of you for managing this and having such a positive attitude.’ We celebrate him in such a big way.”
“The secret to staying positive is that I've accepted that it's going to be with me for the rest of my life,” Myles Mosby added. “I can't look down at it and hate it because it'll be with me forever. If I think about the negatives and why I don't like it, it can have adverse effects on my life.”
In his free time, Myles Mosby loves staying active and keeps in touch regularly with his friends made at his support groups and during his time in Orlando. He also loves streaming, and often streams with his friends on his Youtube channel, DJMyles007.
Be sure to cheer Myles Mosby on as he competes alongside some of the fastest swimmers in Northwest Indiana during the weekend of March 7, 2025 for a chance to then compete at the State meet in Indianapolis!