Xitlali hails from the Bronx and began working at Imagine as a lifeguard. It's a position that left a powerful impression on her as a teenager. When she was just fifteen, working as a lifeguard at a lake, she had her first save: It was her best friend, who experienced a near drowning and was rescued by Xitlati. Years earlier, she learned to swim when she was eight at the local YMCA. Xitlati went on to swim for a number of strong local Metro club teams, including the Riverbank Redtails, APEX, and Stingrays Swim Team, and competed at the Junior Olympics and Silver meets. She also excelled as an athlete outside the pool; she was the captain of her soccer team and also played hockey competitively. Xitlati graduated from St. Jean Baptist and is currently a student at Lehman College, where she is majoring in nursing and minoring in psychology.