My 3-year-old son drowned in a backyard pool. I wish I’d known these 7 swim safety tips.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Chezik Tsunoda. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Chezik Tsunoda founded the nonprofit No More Under after her son, Yori, drowned.Courtesy Chezik Tsunoda
Chezik Tsunoda founded the nonprofit No More Under after her son, Yori, drowned.Courtesy Chezik Tsunoda
Chezik Tsunoda’s three-year-old, Yori, died after swimming in a friend’s pool.
Tsunoda founded No More Under, a nonprofit dedicated to swim safety.
She says all parents should appoint a “water watcher” and learn CPR.
ADVERTISEMENT
Recommended articles
The widening Middle East conflict, Hurricane Helene, and China’s woes all pose economic headwinds.Peter Zelei Images/Getty Images
news Wider Middle East conflict threatens the global economy — when the US and China already face headwinds, experts say
Homes and buildings destroyed after Hurricane Helene in Bat Cave, North Carolina.Sean Rayford/Getty Images
news A majority of North Carolina homeowners didn’t have flood insurance. Then Helene hit.
Dockworkers at the Port of Baltimore are part of a port strike extending from Maine to Texas.Stephanie Scarbrough/Associated Press
news Dockworkers on the East and Gulf Coasts have agreed to suspend the strike after reaching a deal for better pay
In September 2018, I had four boys under the age of seven. Life was full of appointments for the boys, preschool drop-offs, park visits to get their energy out, and making sure everyone was fed on time.
It was a juggle, so I was looking forward to an afternoon at our friend’s house near our home in Washington state. They had a pool and kids of similar ages. The dads were swimming with the children, while I played with the two babies. The other mom was in the kitchen prepping food.
At one point, I looked at my then-husband and asked, “Where’s Yori?” I hadn’t seen our three-year-old, but I didn’t follow up on my instinct. A few minutes later, my oldest son, who was six, said, “Yori’s winning the contest for holding his breath the longest.” With those words, our lives turned upside down.
ADVERTISEMENT
My son was on life support for two weeks
My friend gave Yori CPR, and then I stepped in. When paramedics arrived, they were able to restart his heart, and for two weeks, I clung on to hope — any hope — that my boy would open his eyes. He never did. Finally, we made the decision to take him off life support.
In those first days home without Yori, I dove into research as soon as I put my youngest to sleep. I wondered if there was anything I could have done differently. I learned that drowning is a leading cause of death for children ages one through four.
Now, six years later, I understand the impact. There are families like ours, who have lost a child, and others who have a child with permanent brain damage or other long-term disabilities from drowning incidents. For every fatal accident, there are seven emergency room visits related to downing.
Drowning can happen to anyone, but it impacts certain demographics more. Black children like Yori are more than 2.5 times more likely than their white peers to drown. It makes sense — my grandmothers weren’t allowed to swim in public pools, so it’s little wonder their great-grandchildren are less likely to be comfortable around water.
Leave a Reply