SwimFirst saves a life

Swim First has helped to save a young life – and at Kids First we could not be more thrilled!!

SwimFirst provides learn to swim classes for children with disabilities and special needs and is part of Kids First’s not-for-profit Community Service program.

In partnership with Fitness First Swim Schools and a committed team of disability trained swimming teachers, SwimFirst has supported more than 50 children in the last twelve months.

One of those children,  five year old Luke, recently survived a poolside accident that could have been another drowning tragedy.

His mum Erika, wrote to tell us of his lucky escape, and we thank her for her permission to share Luke’s story with you here....

On a fairly chilly afternoon in May our family had a BBQ to go to at our friends’ place in Ingleside.  They had just recently built a new home with a beautiful pool.  With the onset of cooler weather they decided to cover the pool.  The cover is like a bubble wrap layer covering the water. 
 
Our son Luke who has an intellectual disability, saw this cover and immediately thought he could walk on it.  Luke stepped on the cover and walked into the pool.

He then began to sink!

Luke was fully clothed; he was wearing tracksuit pants, socks, sandshoes, skivvy and fleecy jacket with a hood. 

The water quickly rose up to his chest, the cover sank but slightly supported him. 

With such heavy clothing and no understanding of the danger he was in, Luke could very easily have drowned.

But Luke’s immediate reaction was to go to the side of the pool and hang on, which he did in seconds.
 
With a big smile he pulled himself out of the pool and played on like nothing had happened.

As we took the soaked clothes off Luke, we could not believe how heavy they were. It was amazing that he had been able to get himself out of the pool with all that extra weight on.

We truly believe all Luke’s training with the Swim First Programme enabled him to remain calm and use his skills that he was taught by his swimming teacher, Carol.

A big thank you to Sonja Walker (Kids First Children’s Services – Brookvale) for approaching Fitness First to start this wonderful swimming programme for kids with special needs, Luke’s wonderful swimming teacher Carol and everyone involved in the Swim First Programme at Fitness First (Dee Why) for potentially saving Luke’s life.

Learning to swim is important for every Australian child.

If you know of a special needs child who would benefit from SwimFirst, call us at Kids First Children's Services on 9938 5419.

Young lives like Luke's are important - let's make a difference today! 

AS SEEN IN THE NEWS - Read more about Luke's story in the Manly Daily