‘Saving lives in my son’s memory’

In a summer that has already seen a spate of tragic drowning incidents, we meet the mum on a very personal mission to get the nation wise to the dangers of water

t seems like an idyllic image; a hot summer’s day, paddling in the local stream or taking a dip at the coast to cool off. But for Debbie Turnbull, it’s a scene that brings back haunting memories.

Almost 14 years ago this month, Debbie’s only child Chris, aged 15, took a trip with friends to the picturesque Cyfyng Falls in Caernarfonshire to do just that – have fun in the water on a scorching hot day. What neither Debbie nor Chris could know as she dropped him off, though, was that this perfect summer’s day would quickly turn into a nightmare.

“Chris loved the water and all summer had been enjoying swimming in the local rivers,” says Debbie. But just before this one particular day, heavy

IDebbie (top) and her son Chris pictured as a little boy and teenager

rains following a spell of drought meant lots of water had run down from the mountains into the valley making the water he was playing in unusually cold and dangerous.

“Chris was sitting on a ledge by the water posing for his friend to take a photo, smiling with his thumbs up when all of a sudden he slipped into

‘I didn’t really know what I was doing but going into schools made me feel better’

the water,” says Debbie. As the water surged from three different directions, Chris was carried away and got sucked underneath into a cave where his trainer became stuck under a tree root. One of his friends jumped in to try to save him but it was too late.

In the weeks and months after Chris’s death, Debbie was consumed by overwhelming grief, at times feeling she no longer wanted to live. But during this time, she also visited a number of schools in the local area to talk about what had happened to her boy and warn others about water safety. “I didn’t really know what I was doing but there was something about going into the schools that made me feel better,” says Debbie.

From then on, she began to dedicate herself to spreading the word about the dangers of water, and founded the charity River and Sea Sense with the aim of preventing future incidents of drowning through education.

“I go into schools, and give afterdinner talks, sharing my story and explaining some of the most common reasons water accidents happen in this country so people can stay safe,” adds Debbie.

“I also explain some common misconceptions. People often don’t realise that it’s usually the shock of the cold water more than anything that typically takes a life and water only needs to be three inches deep to cause drowning.”

Debbie also tries to make people aware of what lies beneath the water, explaining that while a river or stream may look serene on the surface, you cannot know what dangerous tree roots, rocks or caves may be underneath. She says this message is especially important to get across in light of the current trend among young people for ‘tombstoning’,

‘I just want to make sure Chris’s life wasn’t lost in vain and his story can help save the lives of others’

jumping into a pool of water from a great height, often for a photo to be shared on social media.

As well as the talks, Debbie is developing a Water Safety Map which pinpoints danger spots around the country and a Near Miss Network

Hidden dangers: the picturesque Cyfyng Falls where Chris lost his life

Debbie pictured receiving a National Lottery Award in 2017 for her charity work

where people who have been rescued from drowning can share the lessons they’ve learned with others. She’s even spoken in Parliament about the issue and is passionate about getting water safety onto the school curriculum.

Debbie hopes one day to write a book that will help other bereaved parents cope with their own grief.

In the meantime, she just wants to spread the word of the dangers of water, especially this summer when she fears there may be an even higher rate of drowning incidents in the UK. Already there have been several tragic accidents on beaches and at beauty spots as the lockdown, coupled with the warmer weather, has seen people congregate at the waterside.

What’s more, due to the pandemic, the RNLI has been forced to reduce the number of lifeguard patrols on beaches, meaning there isn’t the usual help at hand should someone get into difficulties in the sea.

“We have to educate people that you must respect the water. Mother Nature is such a powerful force,” says Debbie. Doing this work has helped my grief enormously and I just want to make sure Chris’s life wasn’t lost in vain and his story can help save the lives of others.”

■ To find out more about Debbie’s charity River and Sea Sense visit www. riverandseasense.com If you’d like to donate to the charity please send a cheque payable to ‘River and Sea Sense’ to the Yours address on page 3 and we will pass them on.