DELMONT — A Delmont man isn’t looking for notoriety or shiny medals in his attempt to swim the English Channel. Instead, the 26-year-old extraordinary minister of holy Communion and former server at St. Barbara Parish in Harrison City wants to encourage people to push beyond their comfort zones in an effort to help others.

Darren Miller, a private client group relationship manager at PNC Bank, will challenge the 21-plus miles of cold ocean water on July 18. His purpose is two-fold: to raise money for costly heart surgeries for young children and to encourage people to become more proactive in charitable causes.

"I realized at a young age how deep philanthropy runs in my family," Miller said. "I want to motivate people to volunteer, to get involved."

Miller said he is blessed with good health and physical strength and wants to put those gifts to good use.

"I believe God gave me my physical abilities and works through me to push myself beyond belief," Miller said. "I hope I can motivate others to at least get up and walk, to take that first step."

Miller delivers Communion to the sick and homebound of his parish and said he has a soft spot in his heart for developmentally challenged children who never say "I can’t."

Miller and friend Cathy Cartieri-Mehl have established a Forever Fund at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh that will help needy families pay for cardiothoracic surgeries and related costs. The fund is in honor of Mehl’s father, Anthony Frank Cartieri, who lost his life during heart surgery at a young age. The Cartieri family of Pittsburgh is the primary sponsor of Miller’s English Channel swim.

In order to prepare for the upcoming plunge, Miller takes daily cold showers and keeps his home thermostat set at 58 degrees in order to acclimate to the channel’s environment. He also sticks to a strict regimen of endurance conditioning and proper nutrition. The swim from Dover, England, to Cap Gris Nez, France, normally takes between 8-12 hours.

Miller is no fish out of water when it comes to swimming. In high school, he swam for the Franklin Regional team, where he still volunteers as a coach. He also swam two years at Pennsylvania State University.

A year ago, he began competing in swimming marathons of 50 or more miles.

"It’s not the distance that concerns me as much as the cold water," said Miller, who finished third at the Tampa Bay, Fla., Marathon Swim this spring.

"The problem is the small window of opportunity to train in cold water in this area," he said.

Miller trains at Keystone Lake near New Alexandria. He also swims in the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers and occasionally Lake Erie.

Miller plans to purchase a large blow-up pool for home use, where he can monitor water temperature.

Preparing for the elements of the channel also means Miller needs to gain 20 or more pounds of body weight for reserve energy and thermal insulation.

"About 90 percent of swimmers who attempt the English Channel fail because of exhaustion and hypothermia. Their brains cool, which kills their motor functions. It’s amazing how fast you can go downhill," he said.

Miller is still inspired by his late grandmother, who had a stroke while preparing peroghis for a fundraiser.

"When I’m doing something to help others, in my eyes I feel close to her," Miller said. "She gave in her way, and this is my way.

"Faith is a huge part of who I am, so much that I’m risking my life to help others," he said.

Father Kenneth G. Zaccagnini, pastor of St. Barbara Parish, said Miller has great faith and respect for the church and clergy.

"He’s active here, so I had an opportunity to get to know him in a relatively short period of time," Father Zaccagnini said.

"The same way he is committed to his faith, he will be committed to this swim. I think he’ll do just fine."