While my wife, my eldest son, my daughter, and I were at a 4th of July gathering, our youngest son, Taylor, was at a 4th of July gathering an hour and a half away from us.
He was with a few of his friends. The picnic was at a ‘friend of a friend’ s’ house.
We knew where he was, in fact just 15 minutes prior to the call explained below, Taylor (18 years old) texted me remind me.
Around 5 pm (I don’t recall the exact time) I received a call from one of his best friends. I immediately knew something was ‘up’. When I answered the call, our lives changed forever.
Taylor had drowned in the pool during the picnic. No diving accident, no body/head trauma… He just was found unresponsive in the water.
The panic in his friends voice led me to immediately scream for my wife! He told me that Taylor was not breathing and had no heartbeat and that EMT’s were working hard to save his life!
“DON’T LET THEM STOP!” I repeated over and over while on the phone.
Our family and friends gathered in panic and prayed in our friends driveway.
There was confusion, fear, panic and pain in all of us.
They were taking Taylor to a local hospital, about 20 minutes away from where the incident occurred.
My family and I drove the 1.5 hour drive to the hospital. It was terrible, quiet at times… loud with screaming at times… terrible.
When we arrived at the hospital I was asked to come with a medical staff member – I was sure I knew what they were going to tell me.
I was wrong. He had a heartbeat and was on life support. My family rejoiced over that news. It was very unclear what would happen to Taylor. But a heartbeat is great, it’s a step in the right direction.
We visited him briefly, he was lifeless. No movement, just the machines beeping, and his chest rising from the forced breathes.
Off to the ICU he went…
Pennies for Taylor 