Marla Carnes shares her story of tragedy and explains how you can prevent infant drowning.
I was at a bridal shower with my son Sterling when I heard one of the women yell, “Call 911!”
Then I heard the rest of the sentence: “Something happened to Sterling!”
I stood up from the table, and I was paralyzed with shock. I couldn’t move and didn’t know what to do or where to go. Someone must have said he had fallen into the pool. My brain was trying to process all this, as we had seen Sterling go into the hostess’s bedroom but never saw him come out. I was thinking, “How did he get outside?”
As I was pushed outside, I saw my son lying on the side of the pool and the first lady who had gone to check on the kids was all wet as she performed CPR with another lady. He was a bluish-green color. I was trying to stay calm because I thought my son was going to be OK. As I approached him, I realized that he wasn’t opening his eyes and wasn’t breathing.
Special ISR videos will be released Aug. 29, 30 and 31 in the CrossFit Journal.
CrossFit Kids supports ISR’s mission that “not one more child drowns.” Participate in Fight Gone Bad 6 on Sept. 17, 2011, to reach 3,000 kids. Sign up for the fundraiser at Sportsgrants.org/fgb6/isr and make a donation by texting “FGB6” to 57682. From outside the U.S., text “FGB6” to 4246751014. The minimum donation is $10, and standard text-message rates apply.