So many people who have crossed our path since Roxie drowned have shared their own drowning-related stories…whether it happened to them or someone they know and whether it was a near catastrophe or catastrophic. In order to eliminate this preventable outcome, we need to share our stories, to start an honest, open conversation and determine what it was that we might have done differently.
For instance, not only did our daughter die from a preventable drowning, but a former neighbor’s daughter drowned. She was just seven years old. She lived. But she is considerably impaired, both cognitively and physically. Friends of ours back east have a daughter who drowned at 18 months old. She too lived and suffered minor brain trauma. I—and this is Doug Forbes—was body-surfing when 22 years old. I took a large wave and smashed my head against the ocean floor. I blacked out for a few seconds, sliced my head but was able to reorient and swim to safety.
Please share your story. See just how common these incidents are. Candor is vitally important to our foundation’s mission.