Lessons from Lylah: National Drowning Prevention Day
National Drowning Prevention Day is held July 25 every year as a means of raising awareness of the catastrophic and long-term effects of drowning on families and communities, as well as life-saving ways to prevent it. Every year, an estimated 236,000 individuals drown, and it is one of the top 10 fatalities of kids aged five to 14.
Our Lessons from Lylah program was inspired by Lylah, a two-year-old on the Angels of America’s Fallen waiting list who tragically drowned in 2016. To help the children of America’s fallen receive swim lessons, Lessons from Lylah connects children with local swimming instructors and covers the costs of basic swimming lessons and water safety instruction for three months. This program provides children with a healthy outlet from trauma and grief through swim lessons while they acquire a skill they will have for the rest of their lives.
“The loss of Lylah impacted all of us at Angels of America’s Fallen very deeply,” said Joe Lewis, Founder and CEO of AOAF. “Out of that emotion, we decided to develop a proactive national swim initiative that also honored this adorable young girl.”
“Lylah was a vivacious and amazing young girl—and we are all deeply moved by this new program named in her honor,” said Alyssa Gavulic, Lylah’s mom. “I think she would be very pleased that a program bearing her name might help save children’s lives.”
Consider donating to Angels of America’s Fallen as $300 can provide swimming lessons for a child on our wait list. Your donation could make a life-saving impact on a child.
