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From One Mom to Another
Communicate to
Prevent Drownings
Prevent Drownings
By Ana Maria Camargo
I have a horrible image in my mind that I just can't erase: my 21-month-old daughter, Alexandra, floating face down in a pool. Her arms are outstretched and limp, just like the dead people you see in movies. Near her, there are children swimming and playing. By the side of the pool, there is a woman wondering about the floating baby: "Is she dead or playing?" she asks as I run past her and jump into the pool.
How is it possible that, just a few minutes before, my husband and I were playing with her and now she's dead? How could this have happened? How could I possibly live without her? Please, Lord, don't let this happen. These were my thoughts during the few minutes that it took to resuscitate our baby.
We were vacationing in a beautiful resort in the Caribbean. The day we arrived, my husband, Alexandra and I went to play in one of the resort's eight pools. I had been taking Alexandra to swimming classes every week the month before our vacation, but all she had learned so far was that she loved being in water. She didn't fear it in the least, and certainly had not learned how to swim. After we splashed around for a while, we all got out of the pool and I told my husband I would go get some towels. Unbeknownst to me, Alexandra was walking right behind me. My husband assumed that I was watching her as he saw us walk away together. I never saw her behind me and assumed he would stay where he was and take care of her.
The towel service was three pools away. I got the towels, chatted with my sister-in-law for a minute or two, and then went back to find them. As soon as my husband and I saw each other we both asked in shock: "Where's Alexandra?!" and started to run toward the first pool. That's when we saw her floating in the water.
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