SAN TAN VALLEY, AZ — One Pinal County mom is hoping to raise awareness about pool safety ahead of the holiday weekend.
Ashley Ackerman lost her 4-year-old son Braxton to drowning in March of 2022.
“Braxton was the most adventurous child,” said Ackerman.
She describes him as smart and really like any typical kid, with a love of trucks and superheroes.
His main focus in March of 2022 was turning four years old.
Just days after his birthday, his five other siblings joined him at their San Tan Valley home on spring break.
“It was like any other day that we had our kids home,” said Ackerman. “Some were playing video games. Some were playing dolls.”
Eventually, Ashley and her husband realized they didn’t know where Braxton was.
“He had never paid attention to the pool in the past,” said Ackerman.
She rushed to the backyard, where the family had secured their pool fence that was waiting to get fixed.
“I saw his figure and it was instant flight [to] get him out of the water, and I screamed to my husband,” said Ackerman. “Braxton had made it through our pool fence.”
Her 4-year-old son didn’t make it.
The CDC says children ages 1-4 die more from drowning than any other cause of death.
In the Valley, ABC15 has marked around 20 drownings or near-drownings this year alone.
When Ackerman hears those stories, she said she “owns them."
“When I say I own it, I say I own it because I know their pain,” said Ackerman.
“I remember every second of it,” said Ackerman. “I remember telling my five kids their brother wasn’t going to come home.”
Ackerman is now partnering with Pinal County and, to share Braxton’s story, hoping to warn others.
She said she wishes she knew some of the statistics and what "layers of protection" meant before losing her son.
The layers Ackerman encourages people to have include a self-latching gate, eye-to-eye supervision, CPR training, and educating kids on water safety.
“When you bundle them together, and you realize the more you have, the safer you are,” said Ackerman. “But still nothing is foolproof. It changes the way you think about things.”
“He is going to be someone’s superhero out of all this,” said Ackerman.
She has also started a foundation called Swim4Braxton.
“We focus a lot on water safety and water protection efforts,” said Ackerman.
Ahead of a holiday weekend and summer, Ackerman hopes parents listen and learn.
Ackerman encourages parents who don't know where to start or have something in their own backyard that isn't safe to call her.
"Call me and let me get it fixed for you," Ackerman said.
