As many of you know, since 2010, I've participated in events to support Colin's Hope. My first event was an 8 mile open water swim, followed the next year by a 9 mile, then a 10. The same year I swam 10 miles, I did a 21 mile solo in Lake Austin, affectionately called the "Dam2Dam" (look it up on Facebook!), on the anniversary date of the day Colin drowned to honor and celebrate his life. On September 1, 2016, I'll again join a group of elite athletes to swim 6.2 miles in Lake Austin to fundraise for Colin's Hope so that they may continue making the world a safer place for children.

But, how did I get "here," and why?

My mother didn't know how to swim, and wasn't particularly comfortable around water. She was, however, an avid student of psychology. Determined that her son would know how to swim, and respect the water without fearing it, she taught me to swim by utilizing the process of "successive approximation." She threw pennies, nickels, and dimes into the pool ... very shallow, on the steps, and quite within reach, at first, but gradually further from the wall and deeper and deeper until there wasn't a spot in any pool from which I couldn't easily retrieve pocket change! In the beginning I got to keep my recovered treasure, but somewhere in the process I began fetching rather than recovering. My interest in the game waned as I realized that I wasn't netting extra bubble gum money, and I started to play kids' games confidently with other children instead of bobbing for change. Not long afterwards a family friend taught me freestyle, and I joined my first swim team. Eventually, I became a lifeguard, Modern Pentathlete and Triathlete. 

Old habits are hard to break, and I still workout in the pool several times each week. I also proudly watch as my children fall as much in love with the water as I am. They love sailing, have tried water skiing, enjoy motor boats and tubing, are on a swim team, and enjoy just hanging out at the neighborhood pool on hot weekends. 

The day Colin drowned I was swimming laps at the same pool. When I saw a lifeguard donning protective gloves, and since I was trained in pre-hospital emergency care, as a CPR/AED instructor, and as a former lifeguard, I went to offer assistance. However, given the number of lifeguards on duty, and the number of people swimming in the kiddie pool area, it never occurred to me that a child could've drowned. Just as I reached Colin's side, my wife and children reached the pool deck nearby. They, along with many others, watched our unsuccessful efforts to resuscitate Colin. 

Colin's parents, Jeff and Jana, started Colin's Hope to reach out from their tragedy to the world to teach children, adults, and even water-safety professionals, a simple message – DROWNING IS PREVENTABLE. Colin's Hope ENVISIONS A WORLD IN WHICH CHILDREN DO NOT DROWN and encourages and supports teaching people of all ages how to swim, and how to perform CPR and First Aid. Please browse www.colinshope.org to learn more about its mission, things you can do to help ensure that all of your water-related activities are safe, and then join me in supporting this wonderful organization. 

“Have the Best Day Ever!” 
Jaime Slaughter