Foster Parnell paid tribute to Father's Day by visiting the beach where his 18-year-old son was swept away by high surf in Laguna Beach in February.
Parnell, a Las Vegas electrical contractor, was married years ago around the same beach. Since getting the phone call that his son was missing, he's gone back multiple times. He last went by himself in April, while coming to terms with his impending divorce.
"I went down there and said my goodbyes to both of them, both my son and my marriage," Parnell said.
Parnell is one of dozens of families who have been devastated by drowning deaths in Orange County over the past two years and speaks out at a time when officials plan to talk water safety, just in time for the Independence Day weekend.
"Orange County has a problem," said Capt. Steve Concialdi, a spokesman with the Orange County Fire Authority. "We're one of the leading counties in the nation for drowning incidents."
This year, the county has seen 15 fatal drownings, Concialdi said. In 2015, 50 people fatally drowned in Orange County. Of last year's total drownings, about a third involved children under 4. More than a fifth of the fatal incidents were seniors. Half of the drownings last year took place in a swimming pool. The second-most common location was an ocean or bay.
Julie Lopiccolo's 1-year-old son drowned two years ago in his babysitter's swimming pool.
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"Children drown. They die in minutes," Lopiccolo said. "We want people to look at the ungated pool in their backyard like a weapon."
Lopiccolo, who heads a drowning prevention foundation named after her son, advises parents and caretakers to learn CPR and teach their kids to swim early. Her foundation is developing an online program to help educate baby sitters about pool safety.
Parnell said it's hard to say what would have prevented it. His son was in a dangerous spot at the beach, Parnell said. Anthony, who always made his dad laugh, never liked following rules.
"I wish he was still here," Parnell said. "But I know it's not my fault."
Here are the ABCs of pool safety:
- Active supervision: make sure to actively watch children in water. Don't swim alone.
- Barriers: make sure pools have a tall-enough fence to keep children from wandering in.
- Classes: learn to swim, and learn first aid and CPR.