Horacio Leon Jr. 1962-2018
In 4 to 10 minutes a life can be lost. It only takes 4 to 10 minutes submerged underwater causing irreparable, fatal damage to the brain leading to the subsequent death of the victim. In the times it would take you to choose a snack in a vending machine or answer an email, someone has fallen into a body of water or has been met with a rip current and drowned. In Lake Michigan alone, between the years 2010 – 2018, 334 deaths have occurred due to a drowning incident. There is a total of 26 miles (137,280 feet) of shoreline between Chicago and Lake Michigan.
On July 10, 2018, my father was added to the long list of drowning victims. My father, Horacio Leon Jr. was found in the water at 5:47 pm at 300 South Lake Shore Drive Nb Chicago, IL 60605. A picture of the location is attached below. My father was on a sidewalk when he fell into the water and drowned. His lifeless body was pulled from the water by good samaritans; he was resuscitated and taken to Northwestern Medical Center in critical condition. After the diagnostics tests were completed, physicians found my father to be severely brain dead after suffering an anoxic brain injury. I rushed to his side, and found him convulsing uncontrollably and in complete agony, while on a ventilator. As I watched over my father, I felt hopeless, wishing that there had been something or someone that could have rescued him sooner, but the reality was that it was far too late for my father. On July 23, 2018, my Dad passed away at the age of 55. I will never be able to sit and watch a baseball game with him again, he will never be able to walk me down the aisle or watch his future grandchildren grow.
Far too many lives have been cut short, and, I am proposing merely an aid to save lives. Walking down the pedestrian walkway bordering Lake Michigan, in which my father’s life was lost, I noticed there weren’t any life preservers that may be thrown to aid a drowning victim. My solution consists of a 4-foot tall stainless steel post holding a life preserver/ring, 50-foot polypropylene rope with floating lemon, whistle, and flashlight all held together and protected by a UV-protected Durapol weatherproof cabinet. (Pictures attached) Having each post placed 305 feet apart, with the 137,280 feet of shoreline would require a total of 450 posts. Placing these post not only renders aid to the victim but prevents that good samaritans enter the water and become a victim themselves. By throwing a life preserver to the victim in question, you have the ability to pull them to safety from the shoreline. "Reach or Throw, Don't Go".
As a Miami native, I also wanted to bring this initiative to South Florida. On August 6, 2020, with the support of Commissioner Joe Martinez Legislation was passed in favor of the implementation of Water Rescue station on County waterways accessible to the public. (Legislation file number: 210724 To review click here)
All efforts in both Chicago, IL and Miami, FL, to implement water safety measures that ultimately save lives are currently in discussion within their County's/ City's respective governing bodies regarding specific placement and funding.
300 South Lake Shore Drive