Pantagraph.com | News | 13-year-old's death in YWCA incident considered drowning

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

qbic696 wrote on Apr 9, 2008 9:17 PM:

" What a sad thing to happen to anyone. How can they let something like this happen? where was the supervision? We all send on kids on school events not thinking about the dangers they can face. This is a prime example that NO MATTER WHAT EVERY CHILD NEEDS TO KNOW HOW TO SWIM. You never know what situation your child will get into. "

420 man wrote on Apr 9, 2008 8:58 AM:

" i guess i will take my son to 4 seasons for swim lessons "

swthart81 wrote on Apr 4, 2008 8:50 AM:

" I have not read others comments and do not chose to argue with any of them. I just want to say the my prayers go out to this family and their terrible loss. I cannot image dropping one of my children off at daycare and getting the call that they recieved. Im not sure what the ratios should be, but swimming pools are dangerous to children, even a child that can swim. I feel overwhelmed trying to keep an eye out for my 2 kids in a large pool, muchless watching 5 or 8 kids at a time. I know that the ywca claims they were not in the wrong due to state rules but a tragity still happened and I hope that they dont just stick to the rules but make different ones to keep kids safe. There is no reason an accident like this should have happened. and may not have if there were more adults supervising. "

The Cats wrote on Mar 29, 2008 2:28 PM:

" To BN Banker...angry, no. Pity yes. You are a foolish and thoughtless individual. Being angry with you is akin to being angry with a 2 year old for speaking out of turn. Those of us who responded to your foolish comments (especially about admitting liability and closing down the pool, which you have yet to acknowledge was thoughtless) are merely trying to point out to all of the readers how your comments should not, in fact, cannot be taken seriously. As to you now trying to change what you originally stated is very much expected from someone who is thoughtless. Re-read you own post. It said what it said. BTW your comments certainly do not give the impression of anyone who has ever been involved with pool management (nor banking, if your thought process are really as you write). "

westguard06 wrote on Mar 29, 2008 10:56 AM:

" It never ceases to amaze me the disrespect showed by several of the commenters. Many of them complete ignorance or lacking communication skills to effectively convey a message or question without criticizing knowing they have no knowledge about the situation.

My prayers go out to the family of Cojuan Marquis Harris, the YWCA staff involved and especially the individual lifeguard who will in no doubt be affected in ways that can't be compared to those involved. "

Momof2 wrote on Mar 28, 2008 7:51 AM:

" I used to belong to an organization that did a lot of activities with children. The rule was one adult for every five children; it later was changed to one adult for every three children. After reading this article, it seems that the ratio of adults to children was way off. The article states that there were 24 children and only 3 adults with the Boys and Girls Club. That would mean that one adult had to supervise 8 children. I know that this doesn't seem like a big deal, but when you are supervising someone else's child, that is a lot for one person! Just a thought... "

whatevercple wrote on Mar 27, 2008 10:24 PM:

" To The Family,,May all the great memories of your child be forever in your heart! Very sorry for your loss. Sometimes I wont evenlet my kids go to the lbrary or out to play because of a great fear of loosing them. That ia wrong of me because thats not living. Its my belief that no matter if he was swimming or home we all have a day into the earth and the lord has our day to come home. Sad because we all grow and love one another and hurt so bad when one shall be called home. Bless your little angel! "

ehenderson wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:57 PM:

" All our LOVE goes out to you guys, and a poem to CoJuan, I can see that you loved life greatly, smarts, sports, good looks too, all the things that made anybody wanna be you...But, you is you in all you do, its what made God chose you...A bright shining star, on this earth, for a limited time He let your light shine for all to see, we ooh...we aah, everybody loves a star, so go on and do what God has for you to do, we know your work on earth is through! To the sky, Fly CoJuan Fly! With Love! Auntie Erma and Your Brother Lil Tony "

B-N Banker wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:17 PM:

" SuzyQ made me think about something... What are the requirements for number of children per responsible adult at the YWCA? For instance, at their aquatic facilities, the Town of Normal only allows a certain number of children under a certain age per resonsible/paying adult.
Even so, many parents find ways to get around this rule and leave lifeguards to be their children's babysitters. I can not tell you how many times I've rescued a toddler from the pool, only to find out that the mother/father/camp-counselor/etc was sunbathing. Of course, no one's sunbathing at the YWCA, but you get the point... "

B-N Banker wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:06 PM:

" ...As far as all of you who said that I am being insensitive to the family and other victims of this tragedy- I've commented numerous times on other stories that these post boards are for discussion, and that I feel it's quite useless for 100's of readers to only express their sympathies. Read that last sentence again, I didn't say, "don't express your sympathies", I said that it's, "useless to ONLY express your sympathies". I think it goes without saying that everyone is saddened by the event, and that the victim, family, friends, and lifeguard are in everyone's thoughts and prayers. In my opinion though, there are better ways to express your sympathies than on a faceless post board, and there is a lot more to say about this even than simply, "I'm sorry". Again, this is my opinion.

To sum up how I feel: As a former lifeguard and aquatics manager, I am just shocked that something like this could happen with adequate training, staffing, and accountability.
"

B-N Banker wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:05 PM:

" It seems that many of you were angered my previous posting. I understand that tragic deaths like these draw emotional responses from everyone. However, please make sure to fully read someone's post before retaliating. No where in my comment did I mention anything about rushing to judgment or suing the YWCA. I simply said that the YWCA needs to re-evaluate its procedures and safety protocols. I DID NOT say that they need to change them, because changes could only be one possible outcome of the evaluation. As for those of you who say drownings just happen...

Also, understand this; at no point did I cut-down the lifeguard. Like many of you said, this situation is no doubt tragic for the guard who was responsible for that pool during the drowning. I only said that this should be a wake-up call and reminder for those who are responsible for people's lives. I've seen how rescues that involve unconscious victims or truly life-threatening situations affect the first responders, and I cannot begin to imagine how horrible a drowning must be.
CONTINUED ON NEXT POST...
"

MR wrote on Mar 27, 2008 8:53 PM:

" Many people have good points. The adults should have been watching the children more carefully - especially the weak swimmers! It is, however, the lifeguard's job to ensure safety in the pool. If the guard was unable to scan his/her zone, for whatever reason - that is the fault of the YWCA. More staff should be hired to ensure the safety of pool patrons. If the guard was able to do the job and simply didn't, then the guard was at fault. I'm sorry, but it's true. I guarded for 6 years, and pulled over 30 people out of the water. Every time I saw someone go under, I thought "Please, God, let them be conscious when I get there." Guarding is a very serious job and needs to be taken as such. Guards are also human - I am sure that this guard will be traumatized forever. But if the fault lies with the YWCA and NOT the lifeguard, then I agree with BNBanker and Liveguy that re-training needs to be done before the pool re-opens, to ensure this does not happen again! "

happy one wrote on Mar 27, 2008 6:09 PM:

" For the Harris family ..My deepest regards, am so sorry for your loss of such a bright young man. You have the right to get all the answers you seek to help you get peace of mind. I'm sure you have many regarding how such a tragic event could have happened. Your loss is great and beyond words, I feel for you. Please ignore all the stupid comments people feel they have to make on this blog site, I wish the pantagraph would not allow any. I know they can make the pain worse. Please forgive them, only you know what you feel. "

evman64 wrote on Mar 27, 2008 5:47 PM:

" What needs to change is the Illinois legislation, which states that the ratio of lifeguards to swimmers is 100 to 1, since businesses base their staffs off of that number. "

liveguy wrote on Mar 27, 2008 4:27 PM:

" Evman64- I agree with that, to a point. There are customer service issues at any facility that a guard has to deal with, whether the facility is a small pool or a large waterpark (I have guarded at both). And it is difficult when you are dealing with issues out of the water (kids running, kids fighting, patrons needing directions, ect) to still be vigilant in maintaining your zone. To be honest, lack of a guard in the deep end is what bothers me the most, and that is not in any way the fault of your girlfriend. What happened here is a guard's greatest fear, and I truly feel for her. I'm sorry. But something does need to change, and that is what myself and BN Banker are trying to communicate. To go in next week with the same protocols and procedures that are currently in place leaves an open invitation for this to happen again. "

....... wrote on Mar 27, 2008 3:57 PM:

" To Sometimes-that might be comforting if there were a spec of truth to it. "

evman64 wrote on Mar 27, 2008 2:54 PM:

" Liveguy, you raise a valid point, but lifeguarding at a small pool is not as simple as just scanning the pool constantly. There is also the customer service aspect of the job, such as assisting patrons and enforcing policy both inside and outside of the pool, which does not exist in large waterparks with huge budgets and staffs. I believe more guards would have helped, but that is hard to say when the group was supervised by several adults in addition to the stationed guard, and none of them managed to see him struggle or sink until it was too late. That alone leads me to suspect an underlying cause to the situation, but the truth is nobody knows definitely what happened, and may never really learn. "

SuzyQ wrote on Mar 27, 2008 1:39 PM:

" My thoughts and prayers go out to this family. I do not believe that the life guard should be the blame for this .Where were the ADULTS with the Boys and Girls club? I feel they should have been supervising also. Plus I live near someone that their kids go to the Boys and Girls Club after school amd have you ever seen them drive with the kids in the van?? I do not know how many time sitting out front of my house that I have yelled SLOW DOWN. "

Sometimes wrote on Mar 27, 2008 11:46 AM:

" Sometimes children are too good for this earth and God has to take them. "

IlliniFan wrote on Mar 27, 2008 11:30 AM:

" What a tragedy for this family and all involved. It's just heartbreaking....

I do, however, understand why people are asking questions, especially those families that attend the Y. I believe this sort of accident is a rare occurance at Y facilities...

Those of us reading only know what the article states, so of course we don't have all of the information. The article suggests that the staff from the Boys and Girls Club and the physician were the ones that tried to save this young man's life, until the first responders arrived....

But, we don't truly know the specific circumstances and I know the lifeguard and the Y staff are grieving too.....

The "Y's" are typically wonderful places for both children and adults. They provide so many classes and programs that benefit the community. But, I understand the questions, and pray for all involved.. "

locksmth613 wrote on Mar 27, 2008 10:55 AM:

" I'm truly Sorry for this parents loss of a child. I belong to the a YMCA in my area and it is bad when most of the lifeguards on duty are kids now days and I'm suppose to depend on them to save a life I don't think they are smart enough to do so...too top it off most of them only look where most kids or people are gathered in the pool not the whole pool. A teacher will tell you watching 40 students at one time is hard to do. The Y's only place one guard on duty to watch 1 to 50 people in the pool. "

true1 wrote on Mar 27, 2008 10:49 AM:

" Peace,

God Bless CoJuan and his Family. God allows everything to happen for a reason. And we should try to understand the lesson He may have for us.

It is clear that something went wrong. The brain cannot go without oxygen for more than four minutes before damage starts to set in.

BN Banker is right on point. I hope the Father read BN Bankers post and acts accordlngly. I hope that the Father has the insight to select counsel from sources outside of the Bloomington/Normal area. Because this is not a Normal situation.

May God Bless the Father with the strength and courage to endure until justice is given to the death of his son!! May God Bless the Mother with strength to lean on Him for understanding and comfort during her time of pain.

Peace ! "

The Cats wrote on Mar 27, 2008 9:14 AM:

" To Liveguy...you join BN Banker as a fool who shoots off his mouth without any basis for the comments. Thanks for your ill-informed opinion. You know nothing of the situation or of pool operations. "

liveguy wrote on Mar 27, 2008 7:43 AM:

" Furthermore, the article implies (but does not state explicitly) that there was only 1 guard in the chair, and they were at the shallow end with the majority of the children. So what is the case here? Was the guard not properly scanning their zone? Or were too few guards in the rotation at one time? Either way, BN Banker is correct. The YWCA needs to immediately take action to determine where the system broke down. Accidents do happen, but for a child to be under water for 5 minutes is heartwrenching. That means his body was missed in 30 consecutive scans. To say no one is at fault simply is not true. "

liveguy wrote on Mar 27, 2008 7:42 AM:

" To those of you that say "accidents just happen", that is sometimes true. But the sad part is this accident was horribly preventable. One of two things happened here: Either the lifeguard was not properly scanning their zone (and there should be a complete scan every 10 seconds), or that lifeguard was too far away from the victim to scan that area. You all are ripping on BN Banker, but he makes some excellent points! If the guard was too far away to properly scan the deep end, then the YWCA needs to take a hard, immediate look at the placement of guard stations. There should be no spot in a guard's zone where the cannot scan both the top and bottom of the pool. If there is, another guard is REQUIRED!! (To be continued...) "

evman64 wrote on Mar 27, 2008 1:51 AM:

" IXIDixieIXI and B-N Banker...Those are possibly the two most insensitive and mis-informed, not to mention completely misguided comments anyone could have posted. You obviously have no clue what happened or how the real world works. And to those of you who talk about the pool depth...read the article, it says it's 4 feet at it's shallowest. The lifeguard ion the scene is my girlfriend, and is both a great person and a consummate professional when it comes to her job. She is well trained, qualified and highly experienced, and was deeply traumatized by this tragedy. From multiple angles, there is nothing leading anyone to believe that there was some sort of gross negligence on a part of the staff, first responders, or policy makers at the YWCA, or anything other than a horrific accident. My thoughts and prayers are with Cojuan, his family, my girlfriend, and everyone that has been affected by this. We must all honor this young man with renewed vigilance around water and all things we easily take for granted, renewed effort in all of our lives, and by cherishing the ones we love. "

poster wrote on Mar 26, 2008 10:51 PM:

" TO BEMUSED...I agree that some of the statements are out of line. But yours is FAR worse. HOW DARE YOU imply that you do not have to work hard at your job because you dont like the pay or the benefits. YOU took the job that requires saving mine and other childrens lives. I think most people would do that for free. I would like to know where you life guard so I know that I will never entrust my childrens lives in your hands as you dont think you get paid enough for the job you chose. As for the terrible hours you are working...what pool is open for these terrible hours. Are you working third shift, or 18 hour shifts? You have to be kidding me. "

HappyInIllinois wrote on Mar 26, 2008 10:02 PM:

" Having Children of my own I cannot imagine what this family is going through, my thoughts and prayers are with them, however reading some of these comments is just sad, first of all anyone promoting the "sue" issue, give me a break, Is there really a dollar amount that will replace this child? NO Maybe instead of focusing so much energy on that it should be directed at finding out why this happened and doing what it takes to make sure it doesn't happen again.....We send our children to childcare centers and youth programs with the assumption that they are safe and secure, the same way we send them to school assuming they are safe, however as unfortunate as it is, accidents happen and human err 98% of the time is to blame. It's just a very sad tragedy.... "

womanintheshoe wrote on Mar 26, 2008 6:08 PM:

" My thoughts and prayers are with this family. I will pray you find the strength to heal. "

just-a-thought wrote on Mar 26, 2008 5:24 PM:

" To Gallows98: when you take your children to the Y for swim lessons, you may want to check how many feet the pool starts at, cause it's 5ft.

If someone is a beginner swimmer and it's not brought to their attention that it starts out at 5ft and they jump in, the child may pannic (as mine did).

Most children think when they jump into a pool that they will be able to touch the bottom in what they think is the "shallow end". "

dufflover wrote on Mar 26, 2008 4:45 PM:

" ok, i was in mr.patton's science/math class last year,
my friend is in Mr.Patton's class this year.
I feel so bad and I didnt even know the guy.
R.I.P.
We will all miss you,
I know Cora Does. "

ktowns wrote on Mar 26, 2008 4:18 PM:

" This comment goes out to the entire family and friends of CJ Harris. He was a bright and highly intelligent young man. Cojuan had a personality that just rocked, if you didn't know him here is your chance. His everyday MOTTO was to stay "fly" (thats what he called being swift). Brains definitely, looks a charmer and smile you see it.....

We all question what happened on this day to such a handsome bright young man.

I too am overwhelmed with the entire situation and ask of those to continue to voice your opinions and keep us in your prayers but please be optimistic with having suffered a great lost the family appreciates the words of incouragement but miss us with the foolishness.

signed kiowna love you boo..... "

TH1231 wrote on Mar 26, 2008 4:11 PM:

" My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and child but also go with the YWCA staff and workers that attended this horrible accident. May God be with all of you.
I just want to add that I used to work in customer service in the Health And Fitness Center of the YWCA, I know for a fact that the staff,managment,and everyone at the YWCA are trained very well, if necessary the licensed professionals are tested and are very adept in their positions. I miss being at the YWCA and know that this was a tragic "accident". The free services offered by the YWCA are great and necessary to many and any form of a lawsuit would be taking away from the funding for these. Be sure Ms Hines is investigating this. "

TriDrummer wrote on Mar 26, 2008 1:26 PM:

" I have been swimming at the YWCA for a couple years now and can tell you first hand that they have nothing less then an excellent professional lifeguard staff. I swim laps there and my whole family comes out to swim on a regular basis. This is an excellent safe facility. Tragedys sometimes happen. Lifeguards add a layer of protection but cannot prevent every incident. Their eyes cannot be on every square inch of the pool every second. My prayers go out to all of the family and friends. Remember summer is coming up soon. If your children do not know how to swim get them lessons. Its one of the best gifts you can give them. The YWCA has lessons starting on Monday, you can also get them through the YMCA, Blooming and Normals Park District, Happy Splashes and Swim America. Happy swimming and have a safe fun summer. God Bless.... "

tucker wrote on Mar 26, 2008 1:15 PM:

" I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't begin to imagine and pray I never experience your pain! What a tragic loss! May your memories and faith provide you with some comfort during this horrific time. "

just-a-thought wrote on Mar 26, 2008 1:04 PM:

" To: Bonnie, for the record, this REALLY DID HAPPEN to my daughter and the teacher REALLY did say those things. I don't feed off bad things. This is an article that I could relate to since it happened at the Y. And if you would like further info (proof) that this happened I could give you the teachers name (cause she still works there) but out of the little respect I have for her I will not.
"

Gallows98 wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:53 PM:

" To the family of CoJuan: My deepest sympathies are with you during this terribly trying time!

To Just a Thought: It must have been a long time since you've been to the YWCA. The pool does not start at 5 ft. It starts at about 3.5 to 4 ft. I'm not a tall man but the water comes up to just below my stomach. My 7 yr old can touch the bottom there. Both of my small children take lessons there currently. There are times I've wondered about the attentiveness of the lifeguards as well but having been search and rescue trained for the Navy, I am always right there when my kids are in the pool. Will we pull our kids from the swimming program? No. Learning to swim is not a gift, it's not a hobby, and it's not something I even consider doing for fun. Learning to swim is a LIFE SKILL that EVERY person needs to know. "

Gov't oppressed Mule wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:38 PM:

" What I want to know is why they state that Colletta was unavailable for comment? She actually commented on the story yesterday and was the first to announce this untimely demise. The comment was available for viewing for about 15 minutes before it was removed. So it seems to me that she was available, they just didn't want to hear what she was saying. "

BJ wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:35 PM:

" We will keep the Harris family in our thoughts and prayers. "

armygirl82 wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:21 PM:

" My thoughts and prayers are with this boy and his family at this terrible time. I can not imagine what kind of pain this family must be going through.

For those of you that are talking about the lifeguards certifications and such let me just tell you that my sister is a lifeguard at the Y and she is very highly certified. You all also have to remember that this lifeguard is going to have to live with this for the rest of her life. I am sure that all efforts were made on the lifeguards part to try and save this childs life. It may not have been what you all would have done, but how many of you have ever tried to save a life? I have and I'm telling you that not always are you able to think of the best thing to do at the spur of the moment. Please keep in mind that some things that are posted on here can be very hurtful to others. "

HRPuffinstuff wrote on Mar 26, 2008 11:54 AM:

" Bemused: Since when have Firemen been granted decent hours? Fires don't happen only between the hours of 8 to 5! Sounds to me like someone is getting a little defensive. It's understandable since you also are a lifeguard, but as you yourself said, we don't know what happened. We don't know if the lifeguard on the scene acted as she should have because we weren't there and we don't know what their policies and procedures are. Although I do have to wonder if they train lifeguards to automatically start screaming at the first sign of distress, since that would only put everyone else in a panic, and in turn create a very chaotic scene. But again, NOBODY, not you, nor I, nor others have any idea what really happened, good or bad. I doubt we ever will. So, for now, let's just keep this family in our thoughts as they are going through this grievous time. "

IlliniFan wrote on Mar 26, 2008 11:38 AM:

" I'm so sad to read about this little boy's death. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

I don't blame the father for asking questions about the circumstances. Who wouldn't? It seems the child would had to have been underwater in distress for what? a minimum of 5-6.. minutes, for this outcome...(not sure tho)

I know the staff at the Y must be in pain, and I pray for them as well. "

amomof3 wrote on Mar 26, 2008 11:22 AM:

" It is sad how people take advantage of a tragic situation to post rediculous comments. To BN banker...are you kidding me...attacking the spokesperson for that comment. WOW. Maybe you have never experienced a tragedy such as this. Respect for the family is the first thing that people should be talking about. You don't have any idea what these people are doing...or have done. This family has experienced a horrible tragedy. The children and people in the pool, the Y staff, the first responders etc. have experienced a horrible tragedy. Focus on what really matters...peace to all in this tragic time...you all are in my prayers. "

isunormalil wrote on Mar 26, 2008 11:09 AM:

" I took swimming lessons at the YWCA...and was a horrible swimmer. I can say they definitely take the proper precaution to make sure that everyone is safe.

My heart does go out to this childs family! "

The Cats wrote on Mar 26, 2008 10:56 AM:

" To "B-N BANKER"...if you are a banker your company should be very worried about your judgment. Obviously the YWCA cannot admit negligence...any person with any business knowledge knows that. Secondly, are you saying that every drowning event in every pool in the country should be immediately followed by closure and re-training? You clearly are not a pool manager nor a manger of any kind. Drownings happen...sad as it may be. The YWCA reacted as they were trained to do as did the lifeguards. An investigation will follow and appropriate steps will be taken to try and prevent an incident of this type from recurring. "

Bonnie0127 wrote on Mar 26, 2008 10:23 AM:

" As far as the comment made by BN Banker: I hope that the ignorance you displayed in your comment gets overlooked by our community. I think it's pitiful how you blame the YWCA over this tragic accident without any knowledge about this incident. How long has the Y been open? I think they are celebrating their 100th anniversary. This was an awful tragic accident and now you want the parents to use it against the Y for a lawsuit. Do you know how many free community programs the y offers? They have a free program for victims of sexual assault. They have a wonderful senior citizen program that helps with rides to doctor appts and many more. People like you are the reason why people have to pay high insurance premiums. SUE, SUE, SUE! You disgust me!
As for as Just a thought- I wouldn't take her comment seriously. She sounds like somebody that feeds off negative comments and probably never had her child attend the Y. I have my child in the Y program and have always been treated with professionalism and repect and I really can't see a Y employee talking to her like that. "

bemused wrote on Mar 26, 2008 10:08 AM:

" How Dare any of you speak down to another human on a subject that you know nothing about. The lifeguard had to clear the pool before entering the water because that is what she was trained to do. As a lifeguard myself, I have also heard would-be "heros" tell themselves and everyone else that they would have done this, or done that , and jumped in and saved someone. The truth is, lifeguarding is a very demanding, and underappreciated job. I am sure that the guard did their job exactly as any other well trained first responder would. In one post, I saw that someone said "we should expect the same responsibility out of a lifeguard as a firefighter or paramedic", perhaps if we were getting decent hours and the same treatment (pay, benefits, respect) as the fire department, we could do a lot better. I hope the family and the all others involved find peace in their personal losses.
"

TriDrummer wrote on Mar 26, 2008 10:05 AM:

darknight wrote on Mar 26, 2008 9:46 AM:

" 'P' if your still readind here. Please go back to the artical on march 18. I left you a message about the c&a shops. I do have to say this now 1880 from 2008 is only 128 and not 140 "

TriDrummer wrote on Mar 26, 2008 9:42 AM:

Cub Fan - Bud Man wrote on Mar 26, 2008 9:33 AM:

" I sure hope that the local lawyers don't trip over each other in an effort to reach out to the Harris family. Accidents are just that......ACCIDENTS! No sense piling on the YWCA as it could happen anywhere a swimming pool is located. My heartfelt sympathies go out to Cojuan's family at this terrible time. God speed, Cojuan. "

just-a-thought wrote on Mar 26, 2008 8:45 AM:

" So I went to the YWCA to pick up my 5yr old daughter after work(this was 8yrs ago) and the kids swarmed around me saying my daughter almost drowned today (I received NO phone call). I walked over to the teacher and she looked at me and said, "I hear the big mouths already told you". When I asked what happened she said that my daughter jumped in the pool (which the pool starts out at 5ft deep) and she panicked so another kid jumped in after her and when my daughter started pulling the other kid under the teacher ran to get the life guard on duty and she/he pulled her out. When I asked why did you go get the lifeguard instead of jumping in after her....her response to that was,,,,"cause I had my clothes on".
I'm shaking thinking about this all over again. Would I recommend YWCA? NO. If my daughter would have drowed would I sue? YES!

**My Thoughts, Prays, and Deepest Sympathy goes out to the family! "

HRPuffinstuff wrote on Mar 26, 2008 8:40 AM:

" I can understand the grief and shock everyone must feel, so I understand a little of maybe why some are biting others' heads off about comments made. I looked through all the comments and noticed that 95% of them have been to offer condolences and sympathy to the families. Let's focus and be thankful for those, and not even dignify the other 5% of the comments with a retort. "

B-N Banker wrote on Mar 26, 2008 8:09 AM:

" The YWCA spokeswoman said the pool would remain closed until Sunday “out of respect for the family”. EXCUSE ME!?! As a former Town of Normal lifeguard and pool manager, I can tell you that this pool needs to remained closed while the YWCA re-trains it's guards and re-evaluates its safety protocols.
She should have said that the pool will remain closed, "because we were negligent, and we need to take steps to ensure that nothing like this happens again". At no point in this article does the YWCA take responsibility or express sympathy or regret. Disgusting!
Obviously, letting the boy drown was not the lifeguard's intention and he/she will no doubt be traumatized for the rest of his/her life. Let's just hope that this is a wake-up call to all of those who are entrusted with watching over people's lives. While most pool lifeguards may be young high school/college students, their job requires responsibilty and discipline equal to that of our firefighters and paramedics. "

Milk was a bad choice wrote on Mar 26, 2008 7:54 AM:

" Dixie....way to already start thinking in that good old American way......sue everyone. "

chickster wrote on Mar 26, 2008 7:47 AM:

" We might find out in the end there was another reason for him drowning. Maybe he had an unknown medical condition. But I do wonder how many life guards they have on duty per child. The best life guards I have seen are at the Rockford Water Park. Those guards have their heads constantly moving. The rotate about every 15 minutes - it is amazing. I just think sometimes you get in your job and "space out" - I am just surprised he was down there long enough to drown! And no one saw him - no kids no guards. RIP little guy! "

Not so Political wrote on Mar 26, 2008 7:22 AM:

" prayer for the family !! "

IXIDixieIXI wrote on Mar 26, 2008 6:51 AM:

" I'll be VERY interested to find out where the lifegaurds were while this poor child drowned. The point of having a lifegaurd on duty is to prevent this situation. If there were not enough lifegaurds per number of children in the pool, then these parents have a nice little lawsuit on their hands that they'll probably win and get some decent money. Not that that could EVER bring their child back...but a lawsuit like that is always followed by the firing of responsible parties and policy/safety changes.....Something to think about on this Hump Day...... "

jipsi wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:43 AM:

" Jan,
People will ALWAYS be "bystanders" unless they are directly involved.
Although there have been instances where some truly "callous" discussions have appeared in the comment areas of some tragic stories, most, up until your (valid, of course!) remark, were quite interested, on track and, at worst, a little "detached" where the YWCA name-change thing came up. It's to be expected.

If this had been a car accident on Veterans Parkway, there would be a mixture of people milling about, and, although most moods would be somber and concerned, there are always those a little more "detached" who can be heard discussing 'what's Tom over there doing in a new car?' etcetra.
You have to learn to tune them out. They can't be expected to be taking this as painfully as you, or I (I, too, have lost a child), or the FAMILY of Cojuan.
It would be nice, but this IS a general "comments" area, this tragedy is still a NEWS story, and people have the freedom to discuss whatever, with the minimum requirement that it at least be on-topic.
"

jipsi wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:28 AM:

" Colletta,
You have the embrace of my deepest, most heartfelt sympathies...
I do not know you, but as a Mother who has lost a child, to another, I understand your overwhelming grief and loss.
Breathe.
Remember the joy, however brief.
And know God is With You, wanting you to know your precious baby is With Him now, safe, at peace from this life, and waiting for you and the day you'll be together again.
"

Zeva wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:23 AM:

" If your so curious about the name change, call them and get off here with your stupid questions. This young man just passed away and that is of no concern here. If you have it in your heart to pray for this family then do so! I know I feel bad for them because I have a 13 year old granddaughter and I would be devestated. I pray for this family and this young man and may God walk with them through this terrible saddness. "

lelarae wrote on Mar 26, 2008 12:13 AM:

" p- yes, the policy you mentioned still remains true for us guards today.
liveguy- The YWCA requires red cross, but i can assure you that ARC is just as good of a guard program as ellis. Comparing the two, they teach the same techniques and concepts that a guard needs to protect swimmers (but ellis has a stronger focus on waterpark operation rather than basic square-pool skills).

My deepest sympathies to the boys and girls club, the YWCA staff, and the family and friends of CoJuan. You're all in my thoughts and prayers. "

Gwen424 wrote on Mar 25, 2008 10:50 PM:

" To The Harris Family: I am so sorry for your loss. My heart and APrayers go out to you as I lost my son and Daughter and this is a very diffucult time. He is in God hands now. God Bless you alll. "

jpwk wrote on Mar 25, 2008 10:30 PM:

" I wrote earlier tonight, but could not say everything I wanted to say in 200 words. My name is Linda Beer and I have been quoted in the last 2 pantagraph stories.I can't tell you the horrible pain I have been in knowing he was below me in the water and that there may have been something I could have done to help.IF ONLY I HAD KNOWN. But, we can't go back...we can't do it different.We can only hope the proper investigations are taking place and that this will never happen again. Please be supportive and sensitive in your comments and place no blame at this time...It all happened so fast, I know...I was there, it was a period of minutes. Both CoJuan, myself and everyone involved were in the wrong place at the wrong time, as life's tradegies normally happen.Please keep any negative comments to yourself since none of you know what happened,what is currently happening and what may still happen.The concern at this point is CoJuan, his family and everyone that knew him.I pray that they can get through this, day by day and eventually be at peace knowing he was part of their lives. "

My3Cents wrote on Mar 25, 2008 9:41 PM:

" What a tragic situation for all involved. As a mom with children registered with the Y for summer camp for the past 3 years, I have every confidence in the management and staff to keep my girls safe.

Hug your loved ones extra tight tonight, and keep this family in your thoughts. "

packerfan4ever wrote on Mar 25, 2008 9:40 PM:

" I work at BJHS and I will miss seeing Cojuan there. He was always polite and
smiling whenever I seen him. I am SO Sorry for the family. He was a wonderful
boy and I know he will be missed by many. My thoughts and prayers are with the
family. "

Bonnie0127 wrote on Mar 25, 2008 9:09 PM:

" My deepest sympathy for the Harris family. I can't imagine losing a child at any age. My prayers are with your family. I have a child that attends the YWCA child care program. She has for many years. I just want everyone to know that the YWCA has taken good care of my daughter and I always felt comfortable leaving her in their care. I see people are saying that they might pull their child from the Y summer program. I hope that people realize that this was a tragic accident. An accident that could have happened in any pool. I will continue sending my daughter there because I know that the YWCA will care for her in a loving nurturing environment. I pray that God grants the Harris family, the YWCA and our community the strength to make it through this unfortunate ordeal. "

jpwk wrote on Mar 25, 2008 8:36 PM:

" I want to express my deepest sympathy to the Harris family.I was only a few feet above in the water from CoJuan when the lifeguard started screaming "get out of the pool" over and over.So I headed out of the pool, not knowing that he lied just below me in the water. If only I had known what was going on, I would have been to his rescue in a NY second.I tried to gather info and been checking the Pantagraph on my computer every hour for updates. Then while watching the 6 pm news I heard that the poor little guy didn't make it.This is when I first learned his name. I've been getting therapy at the YWCA, watching many swimming lessons in session. I was impressed enough to encouraged my daughter-in-laws to enroll my grandbabies in lessons. Even after what I witnessed in the past 28 hours I don't doubt that my babies will be in good hands at the YWCA. The YWCA & YMCA have been positive influcences on children forever. All we can do is pray for CoJoan's family and hope that this never happens to any of our children, grandchildren or those we love. "

Cavewoman wrote on Mar 25, 2008 8:29 PM:

" Sorry about the name change question I posted earlier...that was before they updated the story about the boy's condition and death. Human mistake. I pray for this boy's family. "

editorgirl62 wrote on Mar 25, 2008 7:46 PM:

" The only comments that should appear here are ones of sincere sympathy and deep sadness - both is what I feel right now. To lose a child must be devastating, and my heart is with this family. I will include you in my prayers. Any other comments - consider this source. Not everyone can be as educated or sympathetic as the rest of us... "

momof1 wrote on Mar 25, 2008 7:14 PM:

" Your family is in my prayers and were last night as my 8 year old child was there when this happened. He kept saying I hope he is okay. I too have thought of withdrawling him from the YWCA Summer Program. As I said before your family is in my thoughts and prayers. "

Annienap wrote on Mar 25, 2008 6:42 PM:

" To Colletta - I am so very, very sorry for your family's loss. No one can know how you are feeling at this time. I do hope you will look past the cruel people who post comments on here. My thoughts and prayer are for you and your family. May God Bless all of you. "

kirochka13 wrote on Mar 25, 2008 6:06 PM:

" My heart goes out to the family, friends and classmates of the boy. This is a tragic loss, and so unbelievable. I, myself, have doubts now about sending my own 9 year-old to the YWCA summer program, where there are a lot of swimming activities planned. Perhaps it's just too crazy and too many kids for the amount of eyes watching the water. I just don't know what to think. "

Lil wrote on Mar 25, 2008 5:28 PM:

" Our condolences goes out to the family of this child. My son went to school with this child for a short period of time and was in the same class as this child. The worst thing that could happen to a parent is to lose their child. "

michelle24 wrote on Mar 25, 2008 5:02 PM:

" You are in my thoughts and prayers through tis very difficult time. "

3mom wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:57 PM:

" May God be with the family and friends of CoJuan M. Harris. My prayers and thoughts are with you, and everyone involved in this tragedy. "

HRPuffinstuff wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:51 PM:

" Oh my goodness, this is so, so sad! I can only imagine how horrible life would be to lose your child, and at such a young age. I don't know if it counts for much, but my families thoughts and prayers will be with this family during this tragic grievous time. "

Rose wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:48 PM:

" My deepest sympathy to the family "

Jan wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:44 PM:

" My 13 year old son drowned 5 years ago. I can only thank God that the Pantagraph did not have these comments. The callous comments that people leave are unbelievable. You should all be taking the time to stop and realize how lucky you are to have safe, healthy, happy family members. You have no idea what his family is going through. One common thing I heard from everyone involved in trying to save my son's life is that they all had to deal with the pain of not being able to. This included the nursing staff at the hospital, the doctors, the 911 responders and his family members. RIGHT NOW, who cares why the Y changed its name; who cares why the Pantagraph did not feel it was important to let you know every little detail; and yes, the lifeguard yelled, clearing the pool is part of the rescue. The only thing any of you should care about is that a little boy died and his family is in pain. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU! "

Cavewoman wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:32 PM:

" Regardless of the name change, I feel so sad for the family of this boy...my heart goes out to his family. Let's not all assume that there was foul play or negligence involved in this incident. "

mykraziopinion wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:21 PM:

" Not that this is at all revelant to the matter at hand; the YWCA covered the one sign because they purchased the new one and some kind of city ordinance prevents businesses from having two signs in the front of thier building; it has nothing to do with a name change. Several years ago the national YWCA underwent some branding changes; which involved changing their logo and official colors. The YWCA and the YMCA are not affiliated organizations; one has nothing to do with the other. We should be focused on the story rather then signs; my heart and thoughts go out to the family of this boy; as well as the YWCA staff. It's a tragic loss to all involved. "

Jan wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:19 PM:

" To the familly...I'm so sorry for your loss. I know your pain. "

VoiceOfReason1201 wrote on Mar 25, 2008 4:18 PM:

" Are you kidding me? This story is about a boy who has passed away and you're seriously commenting on why the YWCA changed their sign??? Have some respect for the family and go start a topic in the blog to discuss your precious sign.
To lay this sign discussion to rest, there is city code that mandates that they only have one sign, so in order to have the light up sign, the old one had to be covered. If you don't like, go discuss it with the city council.

NOW ON TO WHAT THIS STORY IS REALLY ABOUT.....MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH COJUAN'S FAMILY AT THIS SORROWFUL TIME. "

my2cents wrote on Mar 25, 2008 3:17 PM:

" To not so political ... not sure what you're trying to say ... The YMCA and YWCA have been around for years (and are not "related"). The YMCA is STILL the Young Mens Christian Association and their sign (Main & McArthur Sts) so states this. The YWCA covered up their sign that read Young Womens Christian Assoc maybe 5, 6 months ago. The only thing you see is YWCA. I too would be interested in knowing why. "

liveguy wrote on Mar 25, 2008 3:01 PM:

" I would like some information on the type of training these lifeguards receive...Are they Ellis certified? Are they only Red Cross? When the guard spotted the boy, why did he/she start screaming to clear the pool, instead of immediately entering the water to rescue the child...? I'm sure there is missing information here, but that bothers me. "

womanintheshoe wrote on Mar 25, 2008 2:41 PM:

" My thoughts and prayers are with this child and family. "

IlliniFan wrote on Mar 25, 2008 1:42 PM:

" Prayers for the family... "

dwarf wrote on Mar 25, 2008 1:19 PM:

" Cavewoman - I'm guessing, much as when Kentucky Fried Chicken changed their official name to KFC, so to did the YMCA. Their name is now their initials. "

COLLETTA wrote on Mar 25, 2008 1:07 PM:

" SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY
WE HAVE SUFFERED A TRAGIC LOST OF OUR OLDEST SON, COJUAN MARQUIS HARRIS AT THE AGE OF 13. I JUST ASK THAT EVERYONE KEEP US IN THEIR PRAYERS.

THANK YOU~COLLETTA(MOTHER) "

Not so Political wrote on Mar 25, 2008 1:06 PM:

" to Cavewoman. women did not like the name Young Men Christian Association. so it is YMCA and men retaliated and they had to change the signs for Young Women to YWCA. All is fair in love and war. "

mywords wrote on Mar 25, 2008 1:04 PM:

" The Pantagraph does not usually list names of children when something happens. I feel bad for all involved and hope this young man is back on his feet soon. Our prayers to him and his family for a fast recovery and that he shows no problems to getting back in the pool again. Let's all thinking positively and we will all be better off! "

p wrote on Mar 25, 2008 12:55 PM:

" Back in my lifeguard days in the early 80's, I can assure you that NO ONE would have talked to the press about anything without permission. I'm sure it's the same today. . . "

Cavewoman wrote on Mar 25, 2008 12:32 PM:

" Does anyone know why they covered up the concrete wall that said "Young Woman's Christian Association" on the corner of Rt 9 and Hershey? I see they put up a new sign that just has the abbreviated name on it. "

HRPuffinstuff wrote on Mar 25, 2008 11:48 AM:

" Pundit, I tried stating this before, but for some reason it wasn't posted. I understand getting frustrated with lack of details and information - especially if your child was also there when it happened, as mine was. However, don't blame the Pantagraph for the lack of information. I have no doubts that if the Pantagraph had more details, we'd know them. Chances are, police officials and employees of the YWCA and Boys and Girls Club have been directed to give no comments to the media. I am curious to find out what ever happened to the boy. There wasn't much information given to the parents when picking up their kids at the end of the day. I sure hope this young man has a swift recovery. I cannot imagine what his parents are going through. "

Gallows98 wrote on Mar 25, 2008 11:23 AM:

" To Woodford: Did you ever stop to think that they're not giving all the facts out of respect for the family at this time?? Jeesh - go back and read the article again. It even states that in paragraph 4. "

Woodford Pundit wrote on Mar 25, 2008 8:04 AM:

" Gee, excellent reporting Pantagraph. Thanks for the in-depth fact gathering. "

michelle24 wrote on Mar 24, 2008 5:30 PM:

" Stay strong, lil buddy! You'll be back in the pool in no time! :) "

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