LAKE COUNTY, Fla. \u2013 A recent drowning tragedy involving two young sisters in Osceola County is renewing calls for water safety awareness and expanded access to swim lessons across Central Florida.<\/p>\n
The 5-year-old twin girls died last week after drowning in a rental home pool while visiting the area with their family from out of state. The incident has highlighted concerns about preventing childhood drownings and ensuring families have access to water safety resources.<\/p>\n
Florida recorded 119 child drownings in 2025, with nearly 80% involving children under the age of 3, according to state documents.<\/p>\n
Amber Upshaw knows the pain of losing a child in a water-related accident. Her 18-month-old son, Sam, drowned after making his way to a pool when no one was watching.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was an accident. No one was watching, and he made his way to the pool,\u201d Upshaw said.<\/p>\n
Now, Upshaw is turning that loss into action through Sam\u2019s Mission, a nonprofit focused on water safety education and helping families access free swim lessons.<\/p>\n
Upshaw said the goal is to connect families with certified swim instructors and remove financial barriers that can prevent children from learning essential water skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are kind of like a hub, and we will send them to certified teachers to get those swim lessons,\u201d Upshaw said.<\/p>\n
While Florida offers some swim lesson assistance programs and vouchers, Upshaw said some families miss deadlines or do not qualify. Sam\u2019s Mission aims to fill that gap by providing access with fewer restrictions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only one is if we give you access to these, we require you to show to all 12 lessons,\u201d Upshaw said.<\/p>\n
So far, the organization has helped about 100 families receive swim lessons.<\/p>\n
Water safety officials continue to emphasize layers of protection, including constant supervision, life jackets and barriers around pools. But Upshaw said education and access to lessons are critical tools in preventing future tragedies.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery kid should have access to swim lessons, and I believe we can, as a community, prevent these tragedies,\u201d Upshaw said.<\/p>\n
For families needing help through Sam\u2019s Mission or those looking to support the organization, information is available through the group\u2019s Facebook page.<\/p>\n
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