Mom of drowning victim shares how she turned her grief into lifesaving mission
(CBSNewsTexas.com) — Eleven years after her son's drowning death, Dana Gage continues to spread awareness about water and boat safety.
Her youngest son, Conner, was at a birthday party when he jumped from a boat dock roof and didn't resurface. The Tarrant County mom said she turned her family's grief and tragedy into a lifesaving mission.
Through a partnership with the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Gage has put up several life jacket loaner stations at lakes across North Texas.
These stations allow residents to borrow a life jacket at the site and return it when finished.
"Lakes are deep; they're murky, they're unpredictable," Gage said. "And without a life vest, there's really no hope for rescue."
According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, there were more than 200 boating accidents across the state last year, resulting in 36 deaths.
With Memorial Day right around the corner and summer coming up, Gage wants to make sure everyone takes the proper precautions so that what happened to her family, doesn't happen to anyone else.
"It's exactly like a seatbelt," Gage said. "Because you're a good driver doesn't mean you don't have a car accident. There are factors that are beyond your control, so just like a seatbelt in a car—you have to put on a life vest in a lake."