Two years 1 hour and 30 minutes ago today. I laid beside my precious son in his hospital bed as he took his last breath and his heart beat so purely for the last time. Kathy and I both held him in our arms as he slipped away from us.
Unlike three days earlier when he slipped away, he had slipped away to have fun to do as all children do: To PLAY!! He did not understand the dangers of a pool. The water that was in it or what would happen if he were to lose his balance and fall in... that he would not survive. I always thought I would be with my son when he was in or around water. It doesn't always work that way.
Will we always be standing next to our children when they are offered their first cigarette? Their first drink? An illegal drug? We can only wish. What do we do?
We MUST teach them about all the wonders AND the dangers of the world! That is the ultimate challenge and responsibility of all parents. I am sorry for not teaching my son that if he ever wanted to go near water, that he only would need to come get me and I would have happily taken him by the hand and walked with him.
If you are reading this and have young children or have young nieces, nephews, grandchildren or friends with precious young children please tell them that you will be there for them. Drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional death to children 1 to 4 years of age. Please teach them, "water is fun but only with an adult"! Be diligent about water areas. Make sure they are equipped properly with fences, door locks, alarms, covers. There are not enough layers of protection!
I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU JOSHUA!
YOU WERE TOO BRIEF HERE ON EARTH BUT YOUR IMPACT WILL LAST FOREVER!
JOSH'S DADDY
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