RICHMOND, Va. — Myles Phelps’s life and his purpose was molded from a near-death experience when he was a toddler.
A babysitter brought Phelps and his brothers to a pool when he was three years old. That caregiver didn’t notice the boy sinking in the deep end of the pool.
The lifeguard on duty didn’t see him underwater either, he said.
A lifeguard supervisor pulled him from the pool and performed CPR saving his life, according to stories told by his parents.
“The babysitter did not bring my little red tube that day. He left me alone in the in the shallow end and the lifeguard didn't acknowledge that I there wasn't a guardian within arm's length,” Phelps stated.
Phelps now serves as the Aquatics, Sports, and Rec Director at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center on Monument Avenue.
“I tell all my staff here this story because I think it's so important. There's a lot of things that can prevent that accident from happening,” he explained.
Jonathan McNamara with the American Red Cross echoed that warning, and said now is the time to get signed up for swim session.
“Once again, when those pools, the lakes, the rivers are ready for people to swim, they have that baseline set of skills, because we know that that can save lives and reduce the risk of injuries,” McNamara said.
The Red Cross is encouraging families to sign their children up for swim lessons. But there is also a need for lifeguards.
“We know that one thing that many high school students and college students are starting to think about, ‘What am I going to do for work this summer?’” McNamara stated. “We want to remind them that a great option for summer work is being a lifeguard and the best time to get that training is right now.”
Phelps hopes parents learn from his experiences and take the initiative to keep your children safe.
“I don't want to see that happen to anyone — even in my community,” he said. “I want to make sure that my lifeguards know how important is to be preventative, too.”
