By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
Governor Jay Inslee has signed House Bill 1750, also known as Yori’s Law, which designates May 15 as “Water Safety Day” in the state of Washington. The law, sponsored by Rep. April Berg, is aimed at promoting water safety awareness and encouraging individuals who work with children to share swim education and promote water safety awareness, but this law has a much deeper meaning to it.
The law was established in honor of Yori Tsunoda, the three-year-old son of Chezik Tsunoda, Founder and Executive Director of No More Under, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing child drowning. Yori was playing in the pool at a friend’s house when he quietly slipped below the surface. Once he was pulled from the water, he received CPR for a few minutes his heart could be revived and he’d be transferred to Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Although his body was recovered, Yori’s brain never regained proper function due to a lack of oxygen which happens to drowning victims, On September 1, 2018, he was pronounced brain dead and passed away.
“I had no idea when we walked into the hospital that we would not be walking out with him,” Tsunoda said. “As a parent, you assume it’s going to be okay, but it wasn’t. We were completely devastated.”
In proposing the bill, Berg was adamant about making sure that the bill had a point of reference along with a face and name.
“It needed to be held as Yori’s Law, it needed to have his name on it,” said Berg. “People need to say his name, and I felt like in this moment it was appropriate we name the law after him.”
“By raising awareness and changing our approach to swimming, we can prevent more children from becoming victims of drowning. We will continue to push for systemic change in how we approach water safety and drowning prevention,” said Tsunoda “With the passage of HB1750, we have a powerful tool to shift the conversation around swimming and emphasize that it’s a crucial, life-saving skill.
“When it comes to water safety and drowning prevention, getting HB1750 officially signed into law was critical,” she added. “As advocates, we know that too many children will be hurt or worse this year because parents and caretakers are unaware of the dangers. Childhood drowning is a silent epidemic because it’s a topic that’s rarely discussed, which means there’s no pressure on the system to find solutions and resources to tackle this problem.”
According to stopdrowningnow.org, 10 people drown every day, 3,400 people drown each year, and drowning is the number one leading cause of death for children ages one to four years old. In addition, drowning remains in the top five causes of unintentional injury-related deaths from birth to five years old, and children younger than one-year-old are more likely to drown at home.
While these numbers are alarming, Tsunoda says that the pain and suffering of grieving parents is something that is avoidable.
“Being the voice for something as important as water safety and drowning prevention is not just a passion, but it also comes from an incredibly painful place,” said Tsunoda. “As someone who has lost a child to a preventable death, I know firsthand the devastating impact it can have on a family. That’s why I’m committed to ensuring that no other parent has to go through the same pain.”
“Despite the challenges, it brings me peace to know that our work is making a difference in so many families lives,” she added. “Since we started our learn-to-swim program, we’ve supported over 2,200 lessons, and 316 children now have the comfort and safety skills they need in the water. This work is not just for me, but for my son, Yori, and I know he would be proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
Recognizing the importance of her advocacy in prioritizing water safety not only within Washington but on a global scale, Tsunoda knows that by sharing her personal tragedy and raising awareness that she can help prevent further heartbreak and ensure that children around the world possess the necessary skills and knowledge to stay safe in and around water.
While No More Under has achieved significant milestones with HB 1750, there remains much more to address. One of their upcoming steps involves expanding their reach, forming coalitions, reaching more communities, and establishing partnerships with additional organizations to make a tangible difference.
“We are thrilled to announce our ongoing efforts to expand our learn-to-swim programs beyond Washington State and into Colorado,” says Tsunoda. “Our objective is to provide as many children as possible with the resources required to stay safe in and around water. Additionally, we hope to see HB1750 serve as a model for other advocacy groups to implement in their respective states. Ultimately, our goal is to generate a wave of water safety bills nationwide, placing pressure on lawmakers to address this issue at a national level.”
As time evolves, Tsunoda believes that HB1750 has the upside to make a tremendous impact on water safety and drowning prevention in Washington State.
“In the next few years, we’ll likely see cities and districts implementing pilot programs that integrate swim lessons and other forms of drowning safety education into public school curricula. These programs will help ensure that all children have access to the life-saving skills they need to stay safe in and around the water,” says Tsunoda.
“With HB1750 paving the way, we can make a real difference in preventing childhood drowning and ensuring that every child has the chance to learn the life-saving skill of swimming. It’s a critical issue, and we’re committed to continuing our efforts until we see meaningful, lasting change,” she concluded.
