My name is Lisa Morgan, and I am a dedicated emergency room nurse with over a decade of experience in the bustling Houston area. I am also a mother of four, but my heart aches for one I lost tragically to drowning, the leading cause of death for healthy children. It is now my mission to ensure that no other parent has to endure this unbearable pain.
As I scroll through social media, I often hear parents expressing relief that their children are not at high risk for COVID-19. However, my fears run deeper. The quarantine conditions only heighten the threat of drowning, the number one killer of young, otherwise healthy kids.
This devastating reality took my son, Noah, from me when he was just 18 months old. On July 9, 2017, he slipped through our typically secured doggie door while we believed he was safe upstairs with his sisters. In mere moments of inattention, I raced to the backyard pool, only to find him floating face down, lifeless. Despite my frantic attempts to perform CPR, my only son was declared brain dead after several agonizing days in the pediatric ICU.
The statistics surrounding drowning are stark and alarming. It remains the leading cause of accidental death for children under five, often occurring within sight of their parents during brief lapses in supervision. Noah’s story aligns with these statistics, yet he is not just another number; he was a beloved child whose absence leaves a profound void in our lives.
As I witness families sharing cute moments while juggling Zoom calls and home schooling, I can’t help but think, “This could lead to tragedy.” Parents are overwhelmed, trying to manage their children, assist with virtual learning, and handle work commitments from home. Unfortunately, in homes with pools, this juggling act can have fatal consequences.
Since Noah’s passing, I’ve gained invaluable insights into drowning prevention. I now lead the initiative, Parents Preventing Childhood Drowning, dedicated to ensuring that no other parent experiences the agony of waking up without their child. However, I must be candid — despite the tireless efforts of many, drowning rates remain stubbornly high, with nearly 1,000 children losing their lives each year in the United States. That’s three children every single day, even though drowning is entirely preventable.
Now is the time for us to leverage mainstream media to raise awareness and implement changes that can save lives. The shift in societal behavior due to COVID-19 highlights our ability to adopt new laws and practices for the protection of our most vulnerable. Together with fellow advocates, we’ve initiated a petition directed at prominent networks like HGTV, urging them to prioritize pool safety features in their programming. We propose making pool fences a mandatory part of any renovation budget. A sturdy fence, at least four feet tall with self-latching gates, could have saved Noah’s life and potentially prevented countless other drownings. Furthermore, we advocate for the inclusion of public service announcements from the American Academy of Pediatrics in all pool-related content.
Reality television has reshaped our cultural views on home buying and renovations; imagine if it could also transform our approach to water safety. The stakes are high — we’re discussing the lives of children. The lessons of COVID-19 remind us of our duty to protect the most vulnerable.
I can never bring Noah back, but my work is dedicated to protecting your children. Please take a moment to sign our petition and join us at Parents Preventing Childhood Drowning to learn about essential safety measures that can save lives. Drowning affects real kids and good parents — it could affect you too.
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In summary, drowning remains a preventable tragedy that claims too many young lives. By raising awareness and advocating for safety measures, we can work together to protect our children from this silent threat.