This is a copy of the story we shared with friends and family in the days following Abby's accident. Despite the very raw emotions, the need to protect other families from enduring a similar situation was a major concern to us and remains a concern to us to this day. This was incredibly hard to share and was truthfully written through tears. You would think, as time moves forward the story would be easier to share, but no matter how much time passes or how many times we share her story, the emotions and memories from that day will never fade, but we'll share it a thousand times more if it means even just one child is protected from a similar event, though our hope is that it will protect many more!
A (Near) Tragic Reminder of Water Safety:
After our family’s tragic events this holiday weekend, I can’t help but be concerned for other Families as we’re planning our summer vacations including lots of water fun in the hot summer weather. As many of you know, children hold a very special place in my heart – MY children are my life. I hope that our horrible experience will at least serve as a reminder of the importance of water safety (and safety in general) and hopefully save other precious ones from a similar experience as our sweet Abigail Grace.
On May 28th, we were over visiting family for a Memorial Day party: Lots of pool time and fun in the sun. It was wonderful, the kids were having a blast and before we knew it, it was getting late and we started packing up. We were getting ready to head home - I stepped inside for ONE minute to put some last minute things in our beach bag while daddy remained outside with the kids and other family members. I assumed daddy had an eye on Abigail; unfortunately, daddy thought I had her and in the short minute it took for us to realize the miscommunication, the damage was done. Our precious two year old baby girl was floating lifeless in the pool, mere feet from the adults who were still outside (a wall blocked their view of the pool). I’ll never forget the panic in Mike’s voice and the horrific image of our baby girl lifeless, pulse less and blue. My husband and I are both trained in CPR/First Aid as is Abby’s Uncle who assisted Mike and we know this (and God's grace) is what ultimately saved her life as we awaited EMS (it seemed like eternity as each set of compressions/breaths were completed to no avail, at one point I honestly thought we had lost her completely, praying to the Lord to please, please help us, until suddenly she started trying to take breaths). She was airlifted to Tampa General fighting for every breath; but, miraculously was breathing on her own by the time we landed in Tampa. She had a short stay in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit due to concerns of secondary drowning and infection but was soon released. The recovery for her and our entire family is tremendously difficult and on-going, we’ll never be able to erase the images, events or raw emotions from our minds (our older boys share an incredibly close bond with Abby and saw her being pulled from the pool before being shielded from the horrific scene, they continue to periodically check her to make sure her lips aren’t “blue anymore”; but, we feel led to share this story (as hard as it is) to at least spread awareness of how very real the possibilities are to even the most safety vigilant of parents/guardians. Little ones are so incredibly fast and it only takes seconds to change lives forever!
In Florida, Drowning is the #1 cause of death in young children:
1) Be sure children receive water safety and survival lessons as soon as possible (young children usually need a refresher course a year later). Our older children were in swim lessons as soon as they could walk. Abigail has had some health issues which delayed her ability to have these crucial lessons.
2) Be sure parents are trained in CPR/first aid or at very minimal, parents insure someone else trained in first aid is always available while their child is in or around water.
3) Keep young children within arms-reach at all times and older children within view at all times. Drowning is nearly always a silent event – you won’t hear it happen.
4) Use very clear communication as to who has full responsibility of a specific child at any given minute. Never, never, NEVER make assumptions, even for mere seconds. As in our situation, Just because there’s adults around, it doesn’t mean they truly have a focused eye on the child unless there’s verbal agreement/ understanding.
This attached picture was taken just hours before the horrible events and luckily, we’ll have many more of these family pictures in the future! We’re so grateful of God’s Grace working through the hands of so many folks: close family & friends, EMS, PCSO, Fire-Rescue, Life Flight, TGH ER personal , PICU doctors and nurses and also for the flood of prayers and support from family and friends!
*Please feel free to share
After our family’s tragic events this holiday weekend, I can’t help but be concerned for other Families as we’re planning our summer vacations including lots of water fun in the hot summer weather. As many of you know, children hold a very special place in my heart – MY children are my life. I hope that our horrible experience will at least serve as a reminder of the importance of water safety (and safety in general) and hopefully save other precious ones from a similar experience as our sweet Abigail Grace.
On May 28th, we were over visiting family for a Memorial Day party: Lots of pool time and fun in the sun. It was wonderful, the kids were having a blast and before we knew it, it was getting late and we started packing up. We were getting ready to head home - I stepped inside for ONE minute to put some last minute things in our beach bag while daddy remained outside with the kids and other family members. I assumed daddy had an eye on Abigail; unfortunately, daddy thought I had her and in the short minute it took for us to realize the miscommunication, the damage was done. Our precious two year old baby girl was floating lifeless in the pool, mere feet from the adults who were still outside (a wall blocked their view of the pool). I’ll never forget the panic in Mike’s voice and the horrific image of our baby girl lifeless, pulse less and blue. My husband and I are both trained in CPR/First Aid as is Abby’s Uncle who assisted Mike and we know this (and God's grace) is what ultimately saved her life as we awaited EMS (it seemed like eternity as each set of compressions/breaths were completed to no avail, at one point I honestly thought we had lost her completely, praying to the Lord to please, please help us, until suddenly she started trying to take breaths). She was airlifted to Tampa General fighting for every breath; but, miraculously was breathing on her own by the time we landed in Tampa. She had a short stay in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit due to concerns of secondary drowning and infection but was soon released. The recovery for her and our entire family is tremendously difficult and on-going, we’ll never be able to erase the images, events or raw emotions from our minds (our older boys share an incredibly close bond with Abby and saw her being pulled from the pool before being shielded from the horrific scene, they continue to periodically check her to make sure her lips aren’t “blue anymore”; but, we feel led to share this story (as hard as it is) to at least spread awareness of how very real the possibilities are to even the most safety vigilant of parents/guardians. Little ones are so incredibly fast and it only takes seconds to change lives forever!
In Florida, Drowning is the #1 cause of death in young children:
1) Be sure children receive water safety and survival lessons as soon as possible (young children usually need a refresher course a year later). Our older children were in swim lessons as soon as they could walk. Abigail has had some health issues which delayed her ability to have these crucial lessons.
2) Be sure parents are trained in CPR/first aid or at very minimal, parents insure someone else trained in first aid is always available while their child is in or around water.
3) Keep young children within arms-reach at all times and older children within view at all times. Drowning is nearly always a silent event – you won’t hear it happen.
4) Use very clear communication as to who has full responsibility of a specific child at any given minute. Never, never, NEVER make assumptions, even for mere seconds. As in our situation, Just because there’s adults around, it doesn’t mean they truly have a focused eye on the child unless there’s verbal agreement/ understanding.
This attached picture was taken just hours before the horrible events and luckily, we’ll have many more of these family pictures in the future! We’re so grateful of God’s Grace working through the hands of so many folks: close family & friends, EMS, PCSO, Fire-Rescue, Life Flight, TGH ER personal , PICU doctors and nurses and also for the flood of prayers and support from family and friends!
*Please feel free to share
