Eloy hails from the Dominican Republic and was raised in New York City. Though both homes are islands, and he was always drawn to the water, he never had the opportunity to learn to swim as a kid. When he was 12-years-old, while visiting family in the DR, Eloy was the victim of an active drowning in his uncle's pool. The experience made him resolve to learn safety in the water, and when he returned stateside he approached the pool with a determined passion. By his sophomore year in high school, not only had he learned to swim but he was a member of his school's swim team. The next year Eloy become a certified Lifeguard and a Red Cross WSI teacher. He began teaching lessons soon after and approaches each class with a unique perspective -- as someone who knows first hand the fears and dangers that can arise without early opportunities to learn to swim.