Losing Her First Son to a Horrifying Accident Guides Florida Woman to Swimming Safety for Younger One

In the heart of Lee County, Florida, a mere toddler, at just 14 months, is making big splashes. Finn Williams captured hearts not just with his round cheeks and big eyes but also with his great cognitive and swimming skills. The kid paddled about the pool with the help of his coach while his mom proudly looked on. Every morning, five days a week, after quick 10-minute lessons, Finn has now started to finally feel one with the water. However, there’s a dark side to the story.

His mother, Lacey Williams, beaming with pride, shared that she wanted to ensure that Finn learned the skills of pool safety early on, something she wished she had done for her other son. Before Lacey had Finn, she had Elliott. A gut-wrenching tragedy with the Williams family and Elliot changed their life as she knew it for Finn.

Losing her son to a horrifying accident

When Elliot was 2 years old, playing in the family pool at the Williams? residence was a regular activity. Unfortunately, the young boy once managed to get over the safety railing of the pool and fell into the deep end. According to NBC 2, with the tragedy burned into her core memory, Lacey shares how she rushed to find her boy unresponsive. She frantically performed CPR to revive him but it was all for naught. The 2-year-old Elliot was rushed to the hospital, where he was admitted to the ICU. She shared, ?We didn?t have a lot of time, it was a lot of stress, and we just didn?t do it. And it?s definitely one of my biggest regrets.?

After more than a week in critical care, Elliot was pronounced brain dead. Faced with the gut-wrenching tragedy, Lacey and her husband made the brave and heroic decision to donate Ello’s organs. William says, ?He went on to save three other babies? lives, including a heart?. Lacey to ensure that a tragedy like this wouldn’t happen again enrolled Baby Finn for swimming coaching, where at 14 months he learns to swim, kick, and make it to safety while swimming. It was mandated that Finn learn all the skills to make sure he was prepared and ensure history does not repeat itself.? Just like Lacey Williams, another mother, Jamie Hoover, shared her experience with the silent killers among children in Florida aged one to five. Hoover had a close and scary call with her three-year-old child too, two years ago.

Read more: ?World Fell Apart?: 3 Years After Equestrian Showjumper?s Tragic Swimming Mishap, Reports Unravel Riveting Details of Double Drowning

As per reports, Hoover’s kids were at a birthday party when her daughter saw her brother at the bottom of the pool. He was underwater for several minutes before help could arrive. Thankfully, he was saved. Looking back on the security footage from the horrifying moment, she shared that it showed how the brave boy tried everything in his power to stay afloat.

Tina Fleming from Lee Health Child Advocate said regarding the footage, ?Even at three, he was trying those things, and it was not working for him, but he knew. He knew to try at three?. Hoover now says that her boy is five and is a walking miracle, achieving his milestones as a bright young child. To prevent tragedies like this that have happened to the Williams and Hoover families, coach Kathy Cole from Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) is helping children develop life-saving skills.

Life-saving swimming lessons

By initiating training before their first birthday, Cole emphasizes the adage “the sooner, the safer”. She also trains infants at a mere six months, provided they can sit unassisted for a minute. Through consistent, brief practices, Cole likens the cumulative experience to a ball of rubber bands, saying, “All of these experiences that they?ve had teach them that when they fall in the water, no matter what position it is, they know how to get back to air”.

She said the skills of the children remain ingrained as they grow,?in and around the water. While it can’t erase the past, for some parents, like Williams, these lessons offer solace and healing by equipping their children with essential water safety skills, providing peace of mind and a sense of preparedness for unforeseen circumstances.

Safety remains paramount, but confidence in these skills provides comfort. Though vigilant supervision and protective measures are still crucial, knowing their child is proficient in water safety is a comforting layer of security.

Watch this story: Tragic Drowning: 14-Year-Old Boy Loses Life in Co Wexford Pool Mishap