Drowning?? Arts of animation

[ArwenMarie]

I feel terrible for these parents -- especially since my son is about the same age, which makes it very easy to imagine how something like this might happen. It's amazing how small children seem to gravitate towards the most dangerous thing in any given area.

They do. I was at a family party once and I watched a two-year-old get away from his parents and no more then five seconds later he had made it down to the busy street.

 

[Mum23]

To the OP- Hugs. We were witness to a drowning of a beautiful 2 year old several years ago and I still think of him and the situations more than I like to. It's hard to forget something like this. Be gentile with yourself and allow you/your family to process this. My kid made a Lego scene of the situation when we were dealing with it. It was so heartbreaking but it was his way of working through it.

 

[JZCubed]

Tragedy struck my local community yesterday when two teenagers were killed in a driving instruction vehicle. According to initial reports, this was simply an accident likely caused by the inexperienced driver practicing to earn their license.

I thought I was done crying today.

But now another tragedy has stuck my online/Disney community.

No matter how hard we try, accidents happen. Accidents are just that - nobody is to blame.

Since I no longer swim (ear issues), I have noticed how diligent the Disney lifeguards are at performing their jobs because all I do is watch from poolside.

Two years ago my child was 'rescued' by a Disney lifeguard who jumped in to grab my child while she was being pulled by an undertow from a pool slide. The lifeguard jumped in before my wife got to the bottom of the same slide. These folks are very well trained and do not hesitate.

Just a few weeks ago, I saw the lifeguard(s) in action again. Another little girl seemed to go under water in a 'weird' way and quicker-than-quick, the lifeguard jumped in and pulled her up. As if nothing had happened, the little girl went running off and that lifeguard stayed at their post.

Other than saying prayers and hugging our own children, nothing we can say or do will help today - one of our own has died.

I thought I was done crying today.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Prayers to the family

AKK

 

[Dreamer & Wisher]

This is a terrible tragedy, I teach 3 year olds, they are impulsive and quick, we make them hold a rope when we walk to the playground from our classroom. My own son has wandered out of our house, out the gate and down the street, Thankfully a neighbor brought him back home. It terrified us, but he was so quiet and quick and the dangers out there just in our neighborhood are great. I was in the shower and my husband was working in our home office. When I went upstairs, my 3 year old was watching tv with his 10 year old brother. It only takes a minute for them to wander away. It scares me just thinking about it. Now both of our doors have childproof doorknob covers on them.

My heart goes out to the child's family, especially his parents, because it can happen to anyone.

 

[Flamingeaux]

So sad. Our prayers go out to the family and friends.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

As an 18 year old camp counselor, I pulled 2 six year olds out of a lake. It was the most terrifying thing I have ever been through. SOP for us was to park the bus, unload and count the kids, wait for the lifeguard,nthe allow the kids in the water. There were 4 counsellors and 40 kids. These 2 little girls were first time campers as rising first grades, and even though we went over the rules before leaving camp, they took off for the pier as soon as their feet hit the ground, and went straight off the end into 15 feet of water. I couldn't catch them in tine to stop them. Went off the end of the pier at a dead run and pulled one up over each shoulder. I was terrified I wouldn't be able to get both of them out before another adult got there. I am almost 40 and still think about it. What these people are going through has to be a million times worse. I pray for them.

 

[MrsSkellington]

What a heartbreaking situation for all involved. The lifeguards and first responders are to be comforted as well, as there is always a measure of guilt that they will feel. Give them a quick thank you next time you see one.

 

[LoodlesNoodles]

My heart goes out to this family and what they must be going through.

Its difficult to watch kids, especially toddlers, at all times, especially when it's busy! And as Dory put it, you can't stop your kid from doing everything or else they won't get to do anything.

 

[kamik86]

As an 18 year old camp counselor, I pulled 2 six year olds out of a lake. It was the most terrifying thing I have ever been through. SOP for us was to park the bus, unload and count the kids, wait for the lifeguard,nthe allow the kids in the water. There were 4 counsellors and 40 kids. These 2 little girls were first time campers as rising first grades, and even though we went over the rules before leaving camp, they took off for the pier as soon as their feet hit the ground, and went straight off the end into 15 feet of water. I couldn't catch them in tine to stop them. Went off the end of the pier at a dead run and pulled one up over each shoulder. I was terrified I wouldn't be able to get both of them out before another adult got there. I am almost 40 and still think about it. What these people are going through has to be a million times worse. I pray for them.

Wow... your camp SOP sounds scary. I know it wouldn't have fixed all the issues like kids not listening but first thing to change... All lifeguards would have had to be in place before the first kid got off the bus at the beach.

The camp I worked at had the following policies:
On day one everyone took a swim test. One on one with a lifeguard. Then you got a swim cap.
If you were a great swimmer you got yellow.
If you were a pretty good swimmer and could tread water for 5 min, could swim the length of the swim area without stopping and a few other things, you got blue.
If you were anywhere from basically can keep your head above water to anything below the blue criteria you got white.
If you were a beginner swimmer you got red.

The only way to get to the pier was at the far end of the beach. The beach you couldn't even step onto until the lifeguards were present. You could still get a runner but it was harder (and disobeying this rule was one of the few in camp that could actually make you lose swim privileges.)

All kids had to wear their can whenever near the water. That way we knew where each kid could go (reds stayed in less then 3 feet of water, whites had a pier they could use but couldn't dive as the water was only like 5 feet deep, etc.

All kids had to have a buddy to go into the water. When you went towards the water you had to each bring a shoe and put one shoe each in a row for your cap color. You had to stay with your buddy and were responsible for doing a safety watch with your buddy.

Every so often a buddy check was called. You should be within seconds of holding your buddy's hand at any time. they would then count pairs and make sure it matched the number of shoes.

Other benefit of the caps is they didn't come off easily and if a kid ever did go under (we all did drills of what would happen if that count came up short. Never had to do a real one though thank goodness) the caps were all very bright so you could see them easier in the the slightly murky lake.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I completely understand your anger at being asked that. But, please know that people aren't saying anyone deserves to get cancer, have a heart attack, etc. When people say these kinds of things it is their way of trying to cope with the fact that lives can be cut tragically short. They are grasping for some reason that explains it, so that they can put their minds at ease in some way (i.e. "Oh, well I don't smoke, so that won't happen to me."). If they sit down and logically think about it, the same people will admit that they realize terrible things can happen for absolutely no reason, but I think this is kind of human instinct to have these thoughts. Same as what has happened in this thread with people saying "the parents should have been more vigilant." People don't like to admit that even with absolute vigilance a tragedy like this can still happen.

I think I said that in the latter part of my comment? But yes I agree it's human nature to try to find a way to believe it won't happen to you or someone you love

 

[youllsee]

The three year old toddler did not make it.

The family was there celebrating his third birthday on Sunday. Over 50 family members traveled to ORL to celebrate with him. Most had returned home prior to this sad event.

Please don't blame a single person for the drowning.

 

[AngiTN]

I don't know if this was preventable and I pass no judgments on the parents who will remain in my prayers.

It is a good time for all of us to remember to be vigilant near pools. Whatever happened here, it is always worth a reminder to pay just that little bit more attention in the pool. Maybe you've relaxed just a little. Maybe you got a little careless once or "just needed to send a text really quick" or turned your back for a minute and your kid was fine... and maybe we can all take this tragedy as an opportunity to revisit best practices in this little one's memory.

Whatever happened, maybe he can leave a legacy of people just that much more dedicated to pool safety.

I know it's going to change my approach on our upcoming trip.
I would have never done it intentionally but I know one thing for certain, I will be very diligent about no one coming in the gate with me
It's not clear but I did wonder if this poor child got in the pool area alone or if his family was in the gates, just not in the pool yet.
DGD may face some new rules on her pool time too. Depends on how Poly's pool is laid out in regards to her abilities

 

[Disneylover99]

The three year old toddler did not make it.

The family was there celebrating his third birthday on Sunday. Over 50 family members traveled to ORL to celebrate with him. Most had returned home prior to this sad event.

Please don't blame a single person for the drowning.

Oh my goodness. Unbelievably tragic and sad.

 

[kamik86]

I know it's going to change my approach on our upcoming trip.
I would have never done it intentionally but I know one thing for certain, I will be very diligent about no one coming in the gate with me
It's not clear but I did wonder if this poor child got in the pool area alone or if his family was in the gates, just not in the pool yet.
DGD may face some new rules on her pool time too. Depends on how Poly's pool is laid out in regards to her abilities

I wonder if it will make all pools have gates.

 

[maryj11]

This is heart breaking I cant imagine how his family feels, God be with them and comfort them.

 

[mousefan73]

I know it's going to change my approach on our upcoming trip.
I would have never done it intentionally but I know one thing for certain, I will be very diligent about no one coming in the gate with me
It's not clear but I did wonder if this poor child got in the pool area alone or if his family was in the gates, just not in the pool yet.
DGD may face some new rules on her pool time too. Depends on how Poly's pool is laid out in regards to her abilities

I was thinking the same thing earlier today. Not letting a little kid run by us as we enter the pool gates. Very good points. Time people stop arguing about gates there to keep pool hoppers out, but instead protect little wanderers

 

[Jennasis]

Every parents worst nightmare indeed. So tragic.

 

[AngiTN]

I wonder if it will make all pools have gates.

The tragedy at the Pop a few years ago has already caused them to require gates on all pools. That is part of the renovations going on for all pools at Disney. WL got their last winter, Poly earlier this year. Other Poly pool's construction started this week and it will include a fence.

 

[grandmadebby2]

So sad for everyone involved. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.