MySpace.com - Connor Cares Foundation - 24 - Male - Davidsonville, MARYLAND

The mission of the Connor Cares Foundation will be to further the education and training of lifesaving personnel at all public and private pools nationwide and to set minimum standards of safety to reduce the annual number of drownings. Furthermore, it will be the foundations goal to introduce legislation that will promote uniformity in lifesaving techniques and reaction times at all pools. Finally, the organization will promote a safety ratings system (1-5 stars) to identify deficiencies and provide parents and guardians a guide as to the safety level of each pool.

In 2003, there were 3,306 unintentional fatal drownings in the United States, averaging nine people per day. This figure does not include drownings in boating-related incidents. (CDC 2005)

In 2003, males accounted for 80% of fatal drownings in the United States (CDC 2005).

In 2003, 782 children ages 0 to 14 years died from drowning (CDC 2005)

Drowning is the second-leading cause of injury-related death among children under the age of 15.

19% of drowning deaths involving children occur in public pools with certified lifeguards present.

A swimming pool is 14 times more likely than a motor vehicle to be involved in the death of a child age 4 and under.

An estimated 5,000 children ages 14 and under are hospitalized due to unintentional drowning-related incidents each year; 15% die in the hospital and as many as 20 percent suffer severe, permanent neurological disability.

Of all preschoolers who drown, 70% are in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning and 75% are missing from sight for five minutes or less.

Studies showed that on average, it took one minute and 14 seconds for lifeguards to spot the manikin. Lifeguards noted the presence of the manikin on only 46 occasions, or in 9% of the tests within 10 seconds, and in 30 seconds or less in 43% of the tests. In 41% of the tests it took over one minute; it took more than three minutes in 14% of the tests.

Connor John-James Freed entered this world on July 6th, 2000 and was loved by many throughout his short life, which tragically ended on June 22nd, 2006. His kind, gentle, and caring heart will always be what he is remembered best for and his loving and fun spirit that was carried through everyone each time he walked into a room with that bright smile on his face. Connor, your missed so much, buddy. And through his foundation, we hope to put a stop to such a preventable death and reach out to the other families that have had to go through the tragic loss of a child. We also will strive to fight so that this does not happen to any other family.

CONNORCARES.ORG

The Oprah Winfrey Show

Send in Connor's story to be on OPRAH. If anybody can spread drowning awareness, it would be Oprah.

GO HERE to e-mail her.

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