07/11/2026
Governor Ron DeSantis
As a mother who lost my 22-month-old daughter due to a preventable drowning, I am heartbroken to see that Florida has now experienced 72 drowning deaths. Behind every one of those numbers is a child, a family, and a lifetime of grief that no parent should ever have to endure.
While no law can prevent every tragedy, we have a responsibility to do everything possible to reduce preventable drownings. I believe it's time for Florida to take a closer look at where we can do better—through stronger water safety education, clearer guidance for parents and caregivers, improved pool and home safety measures, and meaningful accountability when reasonable precautions to protect children are neglected.
My daughter's life cannot be brought back, but her legacy can help protect other children. I refuse to believe these conversations should only happen after another family receives the worst phone call of their lives.
I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with you or your team to discuss these issues, review where current guidelines may be falling short, examine the data, and work toward practical solutions that save lives. I am committed to advocating for meaningful change so fewer families have to experience the unimaginable.
Our children deserve better. Their lives deserve better. Let their stories become the reason we strengthen protections—not just another statistic we move past.
For Lily, and for every child whose life was cut far too short, let's make Florida a leader in preventing childhood drownings.
😳😞 Since the 4th of July, 10 children have died in the state of Florida from drowning. And now we are up to 72 children who are gone and whose families and communities are devastated.
If you live in Florida, you probably have some type of body of water within 100 yards of your home. It could be the pool in your backyard, your neighbor’s backyard, a canal across the street or a lake or pond in the neighborhood. - and of course, everyone has a bathtub.
- DO NOT underestimate your child to figure out how to get out of the house, no matter how old they are and how confident you are that they can’t figure it out.
- Make sure to have ALARMS ON DOORS that are turned ON and that your gates are LOCKED.
- Always assign a WATER WATCHER. Every year we lose children while adults are standing around the pool, but not paying attention to the kids in the water. 35+% of individuals with autism have epilepsy. Their very first seizure could happen while they’re in the water.
- Make swim lessons a PRIORITY.
- Learn CPR and have an emergency checklist on your refrigerator. If a crisis occurs, you won’t remember what you need to do so a checklist is of utmost importance. 
- For children who have a tendency to wander, research and consider personal tracking devices. 
Take valuable steps to ensure that you don’t become a parent who says, “I never thought it could happen to me.”
