KUSA – It was news that saddened the nation -- the 19-month-old daughter of Olympic skier Bode Miller died in a drowning accident.
Emeline drowned in a neighbor’s pool. In a 911 call, dispatch is told that no one knows how long the toddler had been in the pool before she was discovered.
"This is so tragic because they were all inside the house. It wasn’t their house and unfortunately, the little girl just found her way to the backyard pool where there was nobody in the backyard" said Captain Steve Concialdi of the Orange County Fire Authority.
Sadly, parents across the country can relate to Miller’s tragedy. Bill O’Melia is one of those parents. He and his wife lost their son, Drennen, in a drowning accident in 2010. Drennen was an experienced swimmer who drowned in a pool that had a lifeguard on Duty.
His parents say the 12-year-old had a “zest for life”.
Losing him was their inspiration to start a nonprofit foundation focused on education and training to prevent drownings.
Drennen’s Dreams Foundation was founded in 2014. The organization hosts events and provides speakers year-round to educate people on the topic of drowning and how easily it can happen.
To learn more about the foundation, click or tap here
