Laura Forrester made certain that the backyard pool was securely secured when she and her family moved into their new Knoxville, Tennessee home.
She said that the youngsters know not to go out there without an adult or a babysitter since they built the safety barrier. The doors were fitted with beeps. They thought they’d taken all the necessary precautions.
Despite her best efforts, Andie, her 2-year-old daughter, managed to get beyond their security measures.
When her mother was looking away, she fell into the pool and struggled to stay afloat. Gray, her four-year-old brother, came to her rescue.
He jumped in with both feet.
Gray Forrester, who is now five years old, said she was paddling like a dog. He snatched her stomach in his hands. He was attempting to raise her to allow her to breathe.
She went on to say that she believes it is a God-given ability for a 4-year-old to behave in that manner at that age. That day, she feels God was with Andie and Gray. It’s the only explanation, given how incredible it was.
According to Forrester, they moved into the house about the same time that Olympic Skier Bode Miller and his wife Morgan lost their child in a similar drowning incident. It made her even more cautious.
It was a heavy burden on her mind and emotions, she said. They had it driven into their heads that they would never leave the house without the supervision of an adult.
If Andie falls again, she can now save herself. Following the incident, Forrester enrolled their daughter in swim lessons right away.
She wished for more parents to hear her story and follow in her footsteps.
She advised that if people hear this story and live near a body of water, such as a lake, a pool, or anything else, they should sign up for a swim lesson since it might still happen no matter what precautions they take. She also hopes that it will save the life of someone else.
