WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - People across the state spent the day cooling off by the pool today, but its important to make sure you also stay safe.
In just a matter of seconds your life can change tragically.
That's exactly what happened to stew and Kim Leonard and now they're making it their mission to ensure other families don't endure the heartache that comes with losing a child to a swimming pool drowning.
"We were getting ready for our daughters birthday and I assumed Stew was watching our son and he thought I was watching him and we never said to each other, you've got him. That would be my most important message to parents is to make sure any time you're around any type of water watcher,” said Kim Leonard.
After that tragic accident in 1989 the Leonard's founded the "Stew Leonard III Water Safety Foundation." Through the foundation they've provided water safety education, including 10,000 free or low-cost swimming lessons to children every year.
"We just want to keep this whole mission going and be able to teach especially the under privileged ones who don't have a chance to even be at a pool like this. It gives them and opportunity to come and learn to swim,” said Stew Leonard.
Their mission is one that’s critically important to the region. It was one year ago, that’s a 16 year old drowned in Keney Park Pool whole swimming there after hours. There was no lifeguard on duty at the time.
It’s when there’s no supervision that most drownings happens.
That’s why Kim Leonard wants parents to teach children to never go near the water without an adult.
"I really try to say to those young moms its just as important to teach them about having an adult with them whenever they're near water, just as it is picking something small and putting it in their mouth or putting their finger in a socket. It should be right up there as one of those things you drive in,” said Kim.
If you would like to learn more about where you find free swim lessons or other useful information visit stewietheduck.org.