As the show said: 'Everybody Loves Raymond!' The auspiciously named Ray Romano was born and raised in Washington Heights, where he was drawn to baseball and skateboarding, but shied away from swimming as a boy. During frequent trips to his parents' home in the Dominican Republic, Ray would spend days by the pool and the river, but always stayed close to shallow waters. It wasn't until he was twelve that he finally took the plunge, joined the fun, and officially learned to swim in his godfather's backyard pool. In high school, Ray became a certified Lifeguard and has worked in and around pools ever since. He's excited now to be a part of the Imagine family, teaching a new generation of swimmers to love the water from the earliest age.