The grandson of a co-worker died of complications of drowning

that took place last Tuesday. He died Sunday.

He was 22 months. His mother and her family had been on a boating picnic. They decided to pack up the boat. She told her relatives to watch the boy while she used the restroom before they left. He was found a few minutes later floating face down in the water by their boat.

His brain stem survived but his "upper brain" had no activity. He could breathe, but that was it. The doctors told the parents he could be kept alive by life support systems where his body would and could continue to grow for 30 to 40 years, or he could be allowed to die. They told the parents that the personality, the being, and the essence of their son would be no more. The parents chose to allow their son to die. He died within 72 hours.

I think of this and the Schiavo case. The right wingers used Terri Schiavo so unbelievably for their insane causes and monetary donations for those that led that cause. They sicken me totally.

May we never value the quality of a beating heart over the existence of the soul.

Keep your eyes on your kids every second. If you leave for a moment, delegate the responsibility of watching your child to one person, not a group "watch him". If you are going to have your child around water, USE a flotation device.

Thanks for the reminder, Erika.

With donations from co-workers of the family members, he will have a decent funeral and the hospital bills paid.

Little ones are fascinated with water. This was a tragic accident. No one is to blame but an extra warning is wise. In fact, the doctors lectured that pointing blame was useless. These family members were all good people.

Wise words.

The family members will always have to carry that burden, placing blame is cruel and pointless.

:cry:

that his doctors did the right thing.

Imagine a world where they are forced by law to withhold that information.

I cannot imagine the pain that your co-worker and his family are going through right now.

I was just reading in the Los Angeles Times about a situation very similar to this one. It is such a tragedy.

My best friend's 20 month old daughter drowned in her grandmother's pool a few years ago. There was a miscommunication on who was watching her for only a couple of minutes... and that's all it took.

My deepest condolences to your co-worker.

he could move ..... take your eyes off him 1 second and he was at the door, etc .... I don't understand parents with toddlers at the store who don't hold them by the hand or keep them in the cart

oh, yeah, shopping carts can be very scary ..... twice I turned to get something from the shelf and he stood up and fell out