From Tragedy to Triumph: How One Family Overcame Their Fear of Water
On July 10, 2010, Erica Landis heard four words that would change her family’s life forever: “He’s in the pool!”.
The Landis family was moving in with Erica’s father, and just minutes earlier, their two-year-old son Noah was sitting in the living room in front of the TV, playing with his Elmo camera, eating raisins and watching Zoboomafoo.
While Noah’s parents were unpacking in different rooms nearby, he had silently opened a French door that led outside to the pool. Minutes later, he was discovered missing and quickly found.
But by then, it was too late.
“You might be thinking, ‘This would never happen to me. I watch my child like a hawk. My child can swim. We don’t have a pool. They would know better than to go near the water,’” Erica says.
Many parents have the same false sense of security. “It never occurred to me there was danger living somewhere that had a pool and the extra vigilance that was required,” Erica continued.
“I assured my mother-in-law that he would never be outside alone when she expressed concern. She lives in Florida where accidental child drownings happen all too often. If only I had that awareness living in the four changing seasons of New Jersey.”
Unfortunately, the risk of drowning is very real and ever present. It can happen to anyone, anywhere: from the sunny deserts of Arizona to the snowy backyards of Maine.
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under the age of four, and the second leading cause for children between the ages of five and 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Noah was a tough toddler, “a water baby,” according to his father Hal. He had an undeniable love for all things aquatic, whether it was playing in the bathtub, splashing in the shallow end of the pool or standing in the ocean. He was used to the comforting presence of his parents and the false security of water wings—a toy that cannot replace swimming skills. He would eagerly dive in without a second thought, certain of the joy water had brought him.
“I can’t emphasize this enough,” Hal told New Jersey Jewish News. “It only takes a moment for something like this to happen. You have to make sure a child can’t get to the water alone.”
From Heartbreak to Hope: Taking the First Steps Towards Water Safety
The Landises’ second child was born two and a half years later: a precious baby girl named Miriam Phoenix. Determined to protect her, the family avoided bodies of water as much as possible. In unavoidable cases, like driving by the lake at the zoo, Miriam was constantly reminded, “You never go near water without Mommy or Daddy.” Soon she started repeating it back.
Pool parties were turned down and beach trips were out of the question. But at six years old, when she became curious enough to ask how her brother passed, they knew they couldn’t put off swim lessons any longer. They wanted Miriam to have all the experiences of a normal childhood.
A week before her first swim lesson, Hal and Erica took Miriam to the beach. They talked with her about how strong the water was, and how no one can breathe underwater. They told her that she would be starting swim lessons soon, and Miriam was excited.
With the help of a kind, compassionate team, she started taking private lessons with Erica by her side.
“Miriam thought she would just be able to get in the pool and start swimming. She was so eager it terrified me,” Erica told HuffPost. “At that moment, I realized how important teaching her to swim NOW was. Not next year or the year after.”
Miriam’s Swim Journey: From First Splash to Safe and Confident Swimming
Erica reached out to Aqua-Tots Swim School in Clark, New Jersey, about their concerns and desire for Miriam to be in year-round swim lessons. The email caught the attention of General Manager Monique, who brought it to the school’s owner, Howie Berman.
“I told Monique, have them come in, let’s meet them and give them a tour. And almost immediately after the tour, there was this connection formed. It reminded me why we got into this field in the first place,” Howie said. “Miriam and Monique just hit it off and have been working together on her swim skills ever since.”
Miriam has grown by leaps and bounds since starting at Aqua-Tots Clark. At first, it took some time for her to become comfortable trying new things, like putting her face in the water, submerging completely and floating on her back. Then they started practicing depth perception, throwing a ring to the bottom of the pool and having Miriam submerge and swim down to pick it up.
“The first time she wasn’t able to do it, and she was like, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore, I don’t want to do it,’” Monique said. “And now, I can’t throw the rings fast enough or far enough before she’s swimming over, surface diving, blowing her bubbles and coming up. She can swim the entire length of the pool. It’s been amazing to watch her learn and progress.”
Miriam is currently in Level 5 at Aqua-Tots Clark and continues to improve her swimming skills every week. The Landises now incorporate water activities into their everyday lives, from friend’s birthday parties to summer camps, to family vacations.
“We visited my brother in Delaware, and we were able to go swimming in a pool, like normal people,” Erica said, letting out a small laugh. “And it sounds so silly, but… [for us], it was huge.”
Noah’s legacy lives on in every lesson Miriam takes, in every skill she builds, and in every moment she spends growing more confident in the water. Their journey has become a powerful reminder of just how important water safety is for every family.
Noah’s impact continues to ripple outward, reaching parents, communities and countless children who will benefit from the message his story carries. Through his loss, the Landis family has turned pain into purpose, using their voice to sound the alarm on drowning prevention and help other families avoid the same tragedy. Their strength and determination to spread awareness is inspiring, and Aqua-Tots is honored to play a small part in their journey. Noah’s legacy is saving lives, and for that, we are forever grateful.
Help keep your family safe around water! Learn more about water safety on our blog and enroll your child in Aqua-Tots swim lessons today.