06/19/2026
43 children have already lost their lives to drowning in Florida this year â and tragically, 16 of those deaths occurred in May alone.
Drowning remains the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 in Florida, and these numbers are a heartbreaking reminder that water safety must be a year-round priority.
The most difficult part is knowing that these tragedies are preventable.
There is no single solution, which is why we must use multiple layers of protection:
Constant, undistracted adult supervision
Doors/Windows locked and alarmed
Remove pet doors
Pool fences with self-closing, self-latching gates
Quality Self-Rescue swim lessons
Designated Water Watchers
CPR training for parents and caregivers
Drowning is often silent and can happen in seconds. It doesn't only happen during summer vacations or pool parties. It can happen any day, in any season, to any family.
At Live Like Jake, we believe every child deserves the chance to learn life-saving water skills and every family deserves access to drowning prevention education.
As we head into the busy summer months, please take a moment to evaluate your own layers of protection and share this message with others. Together, we can save lives.
One child is too many. Forty-three is unacceptable.
