Colt Catalina Foundation

05/28/2026

2026 C**t Catalina Foundation Scholarship Recipients, twins E and C. Thank you, Survival Swim with Kim Infant Aquatics!

05/20/2026

2026 C**t Catalina Foundation Scholarship Recipient, Olivia. Thank you, Krystle Williamson at Otter Tots Infant Aquatics, for all you do.

05/15/2026

C**t’s Story

Every year, I share C**t’s story, especially during the summer.

On January 18, 2008, C**t Walker Catalina was born to John and Natalie Catalina and became the beloved little brother of Mackenzie and Presley. From the very beginning, C**t brought joy to everyone around him. He was vibrant, full of life, and deeply loved by all who knew him. People often remember his heavenly blue eyes, bright smile, and infectious laugh. He was a sweet, energetic little boy whose presence made every room brighter.

C**t loved baseball more than anything. Before he could even walk, he would sit on the ground hitting a ball with a bat, then crawl after it to do it again. As soon as he could stand, he graduated to hitting off a tee. Once he learned to walk, he would hit the ball and run in circles as if he were rounding the bases. Before long, family members were pitching balls to him, and he would spend hours happily hitting, dropping the bat, and “running the bases.” Baseball wasn’t just a game to C**t—it was pure joy.

He also loved monster trucks, horses, tractors, cowboy hats, boots, and his green John Deere cap. His favorite place was the ballpark, where he loved watching his sisters get ready for practices and games. C**t loved riding in the jeep with the wind blowing in his face, laughing, singing, and dancing the whole way. He noticed everything around him—blooming flowers, bugs on the ground, trees swaying in the wind, even a new rock in the road. He lived life with wonder and excitement every single day.

On Sunday, March 21, 2010, C**t spent the day at a relative’s home with his 7-year-old sister, Presley. His dad, John, was at work, and his mom, Natalie, and oldest sister, Mackenzie, were away at a softball game. Because the weather was cold, the children spent most of the day indoors watching movies.

At one point, a relative stepped outside to feed horses and asked another adult to watch the children. In a brief and unintentional moment, C**t followed outside unnoticed. When the adult returned, C**t was found in the backyard swimming pool. At the time, there was no fence surrounding the pool.

Emergency responders were called immediately. It is believed C**t had been in the water for approximately 20 minutes before he was discovered. First responders arrived quickly, performed CPR and lifesaving efforts, and C**t was airlifted by PHI Air Medical to Dell Children’s Medical Center. Despite every effort to save him, C**t passed away later that afternoon.

C**t had just turned two years old.

His death was a heartbreaking tragedy caused by an accident that was entirely preventable.

Today, C**t’s story continues to save lives by raising awareness about drowning prevention, layers of protection, constant supervision, pool fencing, and survival swim lessons. His legacy is a reminder that drowning is silent, fast, and can happen to any family—but education and prevention can make all the difference.

05/06/2026

To the Graduating Class of 2026:

Our C**t, should be graduating high school this year. Instead, he was taken from us far too soon in a tragic drowning accident when he was just 2 years old.

It was a cold Sunday on March 21, 2010. C**t was spending the day at a relative’s home with his 7-year-old sister, Presley. His dad was working, and his mom and oldest sister were away at a softball game. Because of the weather, the children stayed inside watching movies.

At one point, a relative stepped outside to feed horses and asked the other adult to keep an eye on the children. In a brief, unintentional moment, C**t followed the relative outside. When the adult returned, they found him in the backyard pool. At that time, there was no fence surrounding the pool.

Emergency services were called immediately. It is believed C**t had been in the water for approximately 20 minutes before he was found. First responders arrived quickly and performed CPR and lifesaving measures before he was airlifted by PHI Air Medical to Dell Children’s Hospital. Despite their efforts, doctor’s were unable to revive him. C**t passed away that afternoon.

The pool was cold, green, and dirty, which made what happened even harder for his family to comprehend. His parents, John and Natalie, were notified shortly after the accident and rushed to the hospital, where their lives were forever changed.

He was only beginning his life. A bright, happy little boy—full of curiosity, laughter, and innocence. At that age, everything was still ahead of him: school days, friendships, growing up, milestones, and the simple joy of being a child. His family held all the same hopes every parent holds for their child’s future.

But life changed in an instant.

There are no words that can fully capture what it is like for a family to lose a child. The shock of it. The silence that follows. The way life divides into “before” and “after,” with no way back to what once was. What remains is a grief that never truly leaves, only changes shape over time.

C**t’s passing happened unexpectedly. That is what makes this kind of loss so difficult to understand. We share C**t’s story with you not to burden you, but because we want you to understand how fragile life can be—especially around water. Drowning can happen quickly and silently, and often when no one expects it. It doesn’t take long. It doesn’t need a warning. That is what makes it so devastating.

You may think something like this could never happen to you or your family. We once thought the same. Most parents do.

C**t never got the chance to grow up, to go to school, to make friends, to experience high school, or to walk across a graduation stage. Those moments were taken from him before he ever had the chance to live them. And for us, that is the hardest part of all—not just the loss, but everything that never got to be.

But you are here. You are living those moments right now. You are stepping into one of the most important transitions of your life, full of possibility and time you can still shape.

So if we can ask anything of you, it is this: be aware. Look out for one another. Be careful around water, even in places that feel familiar or safe. Never assume someone else is watching closely enough. Small moments of attention can prevent lifelong tragedy.

And most importantly—carry gratitude for the life you are living. It is more fragile than we ever want to believe.

C**t should be here with you in the simplest sense of time passing—growing, learning, becoming who he was meant to be. Instead, he remains forever our angel held in memory instead of experience.

To the Class of 2026: don’t take your time for granted. In memory of C**t, please remember how quickly and silently water can become dangerous, even in places that feel familiar and safe. Stay aware, look out for one another, and never assume someone else is watching closely enough. These small moments of attention can save a life. Make it to graduation. Make it to all the years that come after.

C**t deserved a lifetime. So do you.

05/03/2026

May is National Water Safety Month.

Most people think drowning is loud, chaotic, and obvious.

It’s not.

It’s silent. It’s fast. And it happens when you least expect it.

These are the layers of protection that can save a child’s life, but none of them replace supervision.

We share this because of C**t.
Because one moment can change everything.
Because awareness can save lives.

Please take a minute to read this and think about your own layers of protection.

✔️ Who is your “water watcher”?
✔️ Is your pool secured?
✔️ Do you know CPR?
✔️ Could your child survive if they reached water alone?

Drowning is preventable, but only if we take water safety seriously.

If this makes you pause, please share it. It could save a life.

04/17/2026

Parents — this is your reminder to skip the blue swimsuits 👀

When kids wear blue, gray, or muted colors, they practically disappear underwater in pools and lakes. Bright neon colors (pink, orange, yellow) are much easier to spot in an emergency.

Walmart currently has a great selection of bright swimsuits in stock!

It’s a small choice that can make a big difference. Visibility matters. 💦

04/16/2026

My first podcast! Thank you to Dr. Rachel and Dr. Tom Griffiths with the Aquatic Safety Research Group – The Drowning Files for this wonderful opportunity to share C**t’s story and foundation.

The Drowning Files · Episode

04/15/2026

Swim season is here, and the C**t Catalina Foundation is already receiving scholarship requests (5 so far) for survival swim lessons.

Our goal is to raise $1,000 to provide scholarships for children who otherwise could not afford life-saving swim instruction. Every dollar goes directly toward lessons that teach children how to roll to their back, float, breathe, and survive in the water.

Drowning is fast and silent, but it is preventable.

Cost should never be the reason a child doesn’t learn how to save their own life.

If you’re able, please consider donating. Whether it’s $10, $25, or more, every gift moves us closer to funding another child’s lessons.

Together, we can remove the financial barrier and give families peace of mind this swim season. 🤍