Drowning victims' families embrace water for charity


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PLEASANT GROVE — Three families who have lost loved ones to water-related deaths joined together Saturday for a good cause. They hope to raise enough money to build a drinking water well in Haiti.

Tiffany Hebb's 2-year-old son Ollie died in a tragic home accident more than a year ago.

"My son climbed up onto the washing machine and drowned. I found him lifeless," she said.

Miles Kelly was just 4 years old when he slipped under the water at a family reunion in Park City last October.

"Our son died as a complication from a near drowning", Andrae Kelly recalled tearfully.

For Heidi Naylor, she never thought something so tragic could happen to her father.

"He went fishing and he just never came home," Naylor said.

No one is immune to the dangers that come with water, they said. The families left behind said they are bonded forever in their grief.

"It's not a club we ever wanted to be in. The fines are hefty and steep," Kelly said.

However, they said they have found heartache can sometimes give way to healing and a chance to help others.

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Hebb is leading the well building project and brought the other families on board.

"Even though it was water that took their family members, it can also give life," she said.

They held their first ever "H20 Memorial Run" Friday to deal with the costs of building a well. The run began in Pleasant Grove and ended in Lindon. All the money raised goes directly to building the well, they said.

"The water thing is all around me. I don't know why or how, but I'm embracing it," Hebb said.

At the same time they said they are raising awareness of just how deadly water can be.

Kelly said she feels parents need to be more aware of the dangers of water.

"It (needs to be) looked at the same way as a power tool or car or anything you would never let your child play with," Kelly said.

Hebb has worked tirelessly pushing lawmakers to require a safety warning on all washing machines. When she didn't receive the necessary support, she started making washing machine warning label stickers herself. She passed those out to race participants.

The families all conceded Saturday's events won't bring their lost loved ones back. However, they said they hope they can prevent similar tragedies from happening to another family and help those in need.

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Ashley Kewish

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