At 10:36 a.m. (5:36 a.m. Cincinnati time), under clear skies, a slight wind and 80-degree temperature, Courtney Roberts, 41, of Mount Lookout jumped into the English Channel to begin the first leg of a relay swim across the channel.

The team was made up of Courtney, a family physician at Mount Carmel Family Medicine and Crossroad Health Center, and his brothers: Michael, 39, a lawyer with Graydon, Head & Ritchey, downtown; Jim, 38, a corporate counsel with Wendy's International, Dublin, Ohio; Matthew, 42, principal of Westlake Christian Academy, Grayslake, Ill.; and Andy, 43, a financial adviser at Financial Advisory Corporation, Grand Rapids, Mich.

The brothers made the special swim to show love for their sister, Patty, who suffers from Prader-Willi Syndrome, a life-threatening obesity disorder, and to raise awareness about the disease.

They completed the 22-mile swim 11 hours and 23 minutes later, arriving at France's Cap Blanc cliff in total darkness.

"It was really fun,'' said Michael, back in his office Thursday." Courtney completed his hour swim without any letup. He covered 2.8 nautical miles.''

James, Matthew, Michael and Andy followed in that order.

Michael said James completed the last half-mile.

"We heard that there was a shark spotted three miles away,'' Michael said. "But all in all it was safe.''

In a diary about the swim, Michael wrote: "We were proud of our accomplishment, happy for Patty, and glad that God gave us the talents to honor her in such an extraordinary way.''

He said they were greeted with a large colored poster when they returned.

On the poster, Patty had written: "You did it. Thanks brothers. Love, Patty.''

Allen Howard's "Some Good News'' column runs Sunday-Friday. If you have suggestions about outstanding achievements, or people who are uplifting to the Tristate, let him know at 768-8362, at ahoward@enquirer.com or by fax at 768-8340.