Salutations! 

 

My mother is a swim coach and she shared that passion with me. By six years old I was competing on the swim team, at seven I ran my first 5k, and when I was eight she introduced me to the world of multi-sport in the high desert of California.  

 

Never once did I wonder how my life would be different if she drowned in a race. Fast forward twenty years later and I am racing her Specialized Dolce at Augusta 70.3, with modern components, remembering the lessons she taught me.  

 

When I learned that a person entered the same water I did and never left, I felt a plethora of emotions that I still find difficult to describe. However, I can easily describe how I felt upon learning that this was the second consecutive year that somebody drowned in this race; enraged compassion. 

 

This enraged compassion that I feel led me to Colin’s Hope. This organization has carried out so much, and I am proud to represent them here in the southeast. With Chattanooga and Augusta attracting swimmers with limited ability, I only see this problem getting worse if we don’t act. 

 

Between 2020 and 2021, the drowning incident rate spiked almost 20% in children under the age of 15; drowning is the leading the child killer in the US. 

 

Globally, more than 236,000 people are lost to drowning each year. 

 

Annually, the U.S loses an average of 4,000 people of all ages to FATAL, PREVENTABLE drowning. That is almost 11 people per day! 

 

Last year, Georgia alone lost nearly 150 souls to preventable drowning, while countless more have survived a non-fatal drowning. 

 

Drowning does not discriminate on any basis- age, race, gender, socioeconomic level or even swimming ability. NO ONE IS DROWN PROOF.  Not Even Me or You. YOU. 

 

I will be racing Cheaha Extreme Triathlon to qualify for Ultraman Florida, so that I may spread the word and awareness of drowning prevention. 

 

I will also raise at least $3,000 for Colin’s Hope. 

 

Why? Each mile is for those lost to a drowning, those who have survived a non-fatal drowning and their families impacted.   They are the WHY I race and WHY I move forward.     

 

Please join me as a Colin’s Hope Athlete Ambassador and swim or paddle wherever you are. 

 

Not up for swimming or paddling?  Please consider making a donation of any amount to my pledge page and I'll do all the miles. 

 

It's important to me that you know how Colin's Hope uses the funds raised by Athlete Ambassadors like me. 

 

Colin's Hope educates parents/caregivers and children to be safer around the water all year round through proven programs. Colin's Hope distributes water safety education cards each year, sponsors swim lessons and water safety education lessons, stocks life jacket loaner stations, serves in leadership positions locally, state and nationwide. Last year, Colin's Hope just put our evidence-based Water Safety with Colin & Friends curriculum on a new website www.drowningispreventable.org  that  allows parents, caregivers, teachers and children FREE access to water safety lessons and videos. 

 

The work that Colin's Hope does ABSOLUTELY saves lives, changes behaviors to be safer around water and prevents drownings. If we continue this work, we CAN END DROWNING. 

 

Together, we will do this in honor of Colin and all of the children lost to a fatal drowning and those who have survived a non-fatal drowning and their families who courageously work every day to prevent drowning so that no family will have to experience what they have experienced. It will take ALL of US to change the culture of water safety. I dream of a day when kids learn about water safety when they learn not to touch the stove or to wear a seatbelt or to stop, drop and roll. I know we can get there if we work together. 

 

Remember that DROWNING IS Fast. Silent. AND Preventable. And please tell your family and friends. 

 

Hand over heart thank you for your support! 

 

As Colin used to say- Have the Best Day Ever! 

 

 

 

Matt 

Did you know that drowning is the #1 cause of death for children ages 1-4 and a leading cause for older children, teens and adults, yet drowning is preventable?

Globally, more than 236,000 people are lost to drowning each year. Annually, the U.S loses an average of 4,000 people of all ages to FATAL, PREVENTABLE drowning. That is nearly 11 people per day!

Last year, Texas alone lost at least 87 children and many adults to fatal, preventable drowning, while 7x as many have survived a non-fatal drowning.

Drowning does not discriminate on any basis- age, race, gender, socioeconomic level or even swimming ability. NO ONE IS DROWN PROOF.  Not Even Me or You. YOU.

Anyone can be a Colin’s Hope Athlete Ambassador and swim or paddle wherever you are.

Not up for swimming or paddling?  Please consider making a donation of any amount to a pledge page to support others.

It's important to me that you know how Colin's Hope uses the funds raised by Athlete Ambassadors:
Colin's Hope educates parents/caregivers and children to be safer around the water all year round through proven programs. Colin's Hope distributes water safety education cards each year, sponsors swim lessons and water safety education lessons, stocks life jacket loaner stations, serves in leadership positions locally, state and nationwide. Colin's Hope provides free evidence-based Water Safety with Colin & Friends curriculum on a new website www.drowningispreventable.org  that allows parents, caregivers, teachers and children FREE access to water safety lessons and videos. Plus, its available in both English and Spanish!

The work that Colin's Hope does ABSOLUTELY saves lives, changes behaviors to be safer around water and prevents drownings. If we continue this work, we CAN END DROWNING.

Together, we will do this in honor of Colin and all of the children lost to a fatal drowning so no family will have to experience what they have experienced. It will take ALL of US to change the culture of water safety. We dream of a day when kids learn about water safety just as they learn not to touch the stove or to wear a seatbelt or to stop, drop and roll. 

Remember that DROWNING IS Fast. Silent. AND Preventable. And please tell your family and friends.

As Colin used to say- Have the Best Day Ever!