PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — July 25 marks World Drowning Prevention Day, and experts are calling for families to take the necessary steps to help prevent tragedy.
ABC Action News has reported on multiple instances over the last few months of children drowning in bodies of water in the Tampa Bay Area.
“I hurt with those parents,” said Brianne Polis. “I feel every bit of their grief.”
WATCH: Tampa Bay Area mother shares grief, urges families to learn water safety on World Drowning Prevention Day
It’s grief that never truly goes away. Polis recalled the moment everything changed.
“It was a week before his first birthday,” she said.
In October 2023, her son, Nathaniel, drowned.
“He got out in the backyard, followed a dog through a doggie door, and there was a pool back there, and it did not have a gate or fence or anything,” said Polis. “He was in the pool. Unconscious. CPR was performed, but unfortunately, it was just too late. We spent about two weeks in the children’s hospital, which they were incredible, but it was just, there was no brain activity, and we had to let him go.”
Water safety is an issue that’s deeply personal to her family.
ABC Action News caught up with Polis in Pinellas County. Her 18-month-old daughter, Selah, takes swim lessons at Seal Swim School.
“We started her around six months, and just learning the basic of how to get to the wall could have saved Nathaniel,” said Polis. “If we had gotten him in swim lessons early on, he could have had that in his head to try to just get to the wall and hold on for a couple minutes longer.”
Seal Swim School has taught generations of families life-saving skills. Their four-part ring of safety mission starts with swim lessons.
“Getting your kids comfortable in the water, putting their face in, swimming distances, getting comfortable floating, all those things are super important,” said Ansley Seal, the instructor manager at Seal Swim School.
Barriers are another important measure, adding a fence and high door locks to help secure a pool area.
“They’re so important to keep those barriers in between little ones and the water, even if they know how to swim,” said Seal. “We don’t want them swimming alone.”
Supervision is also critical, making sure your eyes are on the water at all times. The fourth part: getting CPR-certified.
“We have to come together and all of us do our part to make sure we keep our kids safe in and around the water,” said Seal.
Advocates hope people take the steps to help keep kids safe, so no more families feel Polis’ pain.
“Don’t ever think that it won’t happen to you because it could. It did to us,” said Polis. “We have regrets, and I don’t want to see other parents go through that like we did.”
Fans mourn wrestling icon Hulk Hogan at his Clearwater Beach businesses
Hulk Hogan’s Beach Shop remained closed Thursday following news of the professional wrestling icon’s death at age 71.
