In Westfield, Massachusetts, a young man drowned while trying to save his 14-year-old sister who is unable to swim and was struggling in the water. According to police captain Michael McCabe, Roberto Martinez “was trying to be heroic” when he jumped in to save his sibling. While Roberto drowned, the girl managed to survive.

You’d be amazed at how often we encounter stories like this. A child who can’t swim gets into trouble in the water, and someone else with limited swimming ability jumps in to try to save them, only to drown themselves. Sometimes they are successful in getting the original to safety, other times both perish in the water. It just underscores the importance of swimming lessons. If you or anyone in your family does not know how to swim, it’s time to learn.