‘It’s 12 years but it’s as if Reuben died yesterday’

THE mum of a teenager who drowned in a Welsh reservoir 12 years ago has said the grief still makes his death feel like it happened “yesterday”.

Reuben Morgan was 15 when he went swimming with friends in Pontsticill Reservoir near Merthyr Tydfil.

The Cyfarthfa High School pupil had been camping at the reservoir with friends when he entered the water and got into difficulty.

Now, 12 years after his death, Reuben’s mother has spoken out to prevent other families from going through the same tragedy.

Maxine Johnson, 53, said: “They were camping and got there on the Friday night.”

On the Saturday, some of the party took to the water.

She added: “Four of them got in the water and the rest of the group walked to where they had been camping which was quite a distance from where they were swimming.

“Reuben got three-quarters of the way across, that was the hard thing to process because he was so nearly there.

“The temperature of the water was freezing and it took over his body.”

Reuben’s body was later found after a two-day search of the reservoir.

Speaking after his death, friends of the young rugby player said none of the 11-strong group had been aware of the dangers of swimming in the reservoir.

Lauren Jennings, 22, from Merthyr Tydfil, said: “There were signs everywhere but we ignored them. As a 15-yearold, you just think you are invincible and that it wouldn’t happen to me or any of us.

“It could have been any one of us, or more than one of us.”

Ms Johnson, from Cefn Coed, added: “His friends could have lost their lives, there was nothing they could have done, there was no equipment and there was no training.

“On the day the boys were in shock, they couldn’t pinpoint were Reuben was so it took three days to find him which was agonising.

“They had to re-enact it on Monday and that’s when they found him. I was there the whole time with family and friends.

“It was really, really hard, it still has a massive impact.”

For the family, part of the difficulty was accepting Reuben’s death as a fit, young, teenager.

Ms Johnson said: “He loved the outdoors, he played rugby, he was always training in the gym, he was a fast runner, so if anyone was going to do it, it was him.

“Every day is still the same, it’s been 12 years but it’s as if it was yesterday. “With my youngest daughter we do talk about it but not about that day and with my son he doesn’t talk about it to me.

“As a whole family we don’t really talk to each other about it, I think it’s about protection.”

Between May and September last year 300 people tried to swim in Welsh Water reservoirs – up from 88 people the year before.

After Reuben’s death, his mother is now backing Welsh Water’s One Last Breath campaign as part of a UK-wide Drowning Prevention Week.

She said: “It’s been 12 years, it was the anniversary on Sunday, and awareness has changed dramatically compared to when it happened.

“I’ve always said I was a bit naive at the time, I didn’t know he was going to enter the water.

“It’s a difficult thing to do but I think by talking about it it’s a way of keeping Reuben’s memory alive.

“If I can just save one family going through the same thing then I’m going to do what I can.”

Peter Perry, chief operating officer for Welsh Water, said: “Our reservoirs are great places to enjoy organised activities but all too often people are tempted to risk taking a swim which can lead to tragic consequences.

“While reservoirs might seem like a great place to cool off, they are full of hidden dangers with freezing cold water and strong currents.

“We ask customers to remember that reservoirs are working sites that are an important part of the water cycle. This is why we display signage at these sites and undertake campaigns asking customers not to swim at any time.”