Brandon drowned in an unprotected backyard. Everything needed to keep him from the water was missing. There was a lapse in supervision, the door leading to the backyard was left open, there were no barriers to keep him from the water and toys were left in the pool, which attracted him to the water. CPR was not immediately initiated because no one knew how to administer CPR. If one or multiple barriers had been in place, Brandon might be alive today. Brandon was 2 1/2 years old when he drowned in a backyard pool. 

Brandon's mother is Kim Hodges. After Brandon's death, Kim began working in injury prevention to help other parents understand unintentional injury, like drowning, which can be predicted and prevented. 

When Alissa Magrum asked me to swim, I said no (a few times). I am recovering from a spinal surgery and I am just seven months into a two year recovery. I really didn't feel like I could do the swim (I've done this swim many years in the past and I know what training is required). She said we could do the swim as a team and when I got tired I could stop (it's not in my nature to stop). She then handed me a book, it was a book with hundreds of stories of children that had drowned. Alissa told me to pick a child and swim in memory of that child who has drowned. I told Alissa I wanted to swim for a child that drowned that had Downs Syndrome. You see, I am the swim coach for the Lake Travis Thunder Special Olympics swim team. I know how high the statistics are for children with special needs and drownings.  Alissa opened the book to Brandon's photo and at that moment I connected with this special angel. I can't explain it, but Brandon Patrick told me to swim and be on his team. So, on August 16th I will be swimming on a four person relay open water team Alissa Magrum, Amanda Neff, me and Brandon (Brandon will be my fourth, my swimming angel guiding me each stroke).

We will swim a 10K and break it up into our relay.August 16th on Lake Austin. We finish at the 360 Bridge. Your money will help Colin's Hope MOVEMENT in helping there not be ONE MORE DROWNING! Thank you!