As warm weather approaches, and the summer months draw closer, the hazards of drowning and swimming are begging to reemerge.
The week of April 14 through the weekend of April 21 came off as a glorious spring break for many Wake County teens. The week consisted of warm weather, beach madness, and lots of pictures. A popular spot was in Emerald Isle, North Carolina where many of these teens spent their break relaxing and having fun with friends.
For a large number of teens that vacationed at the beach for spring break resulted in a safe trip back, but Paige Merical, Wake Forest High School student, couldn’t say the same. for Wake Forest High School student Paige Merical, couldn’t say the same.
Merical, alongside her friend Ian Lewis, were victims of a riptide on Emerald Isle on Friday, April 19. Unfortunately Lewis did not survive, and Merical was rushed to a hospital in Greenville resulting in the state of “brain dead.”
Lewis was eighteen while Merical was seventeen. Both were seniors at Wake Forest High School, with just a little over a month from graduating. Our prayers and condolences go out to Merical’s as well as Lewis’s family.
With this recent tragic event, I want to remind all Leesville Road High School students as well as the community that water safety is important. My hope is that all would become educated before stepping out into the dangers of the ocean or even as small as something as a backyard pool.
If you or someone you know is getting ready to take a trip to the beach or even getting ready to be around an immense body of water, you can click the link below to learn more about water safety.
The site linked above developed from the Red Cross in which they quote, “Drowning is a leading cause of death for children. Together, we can change that.”
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