Instagram – The Gunner Martin Foundation

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Instagramthegunnermartinfoundation_yi15al2023-01-29T02:57:06+00:00

the_gunner_martin_foundation

Non - profit organization
🔆 Talking about grief.
🔆 Spreading joy like Gunner.
🔆 Specializing in water safety from Central Florida.

Florida passed a bill at the beginning of the year

Florida passed a bill at the beginning of the year that allows families who have an income of less than 200% of the national poverty level to receive a free swim lesson voucher to cover the cost of swim lessons.

In order to get that voucher you can apply at www.WatersmartFL.com.

Did you know drowing is the leading cause of death in children ages 1-4. To help us spread the word, we need your help.

🔆 If you know someone who would qualify please share! 🔆

#spreadjoy #watersafety #swimlessons #parents #floridamoms

🌊Tip 3 for Water Safety Month 🌊 BEFORE your

🌊Tip 3 for Water Safety Month 🌊

BEFORE your child is able to crawl and walk - get those barriers installed.

Approved barriers in Florida
✅pool fence
✅pool alarm
✅pool safety net
✅door alarm
✅self closing self latching doors

The best advice:
Make sure to choose M O R E T H A N O N E barrier for the safety of your kids, grandkids, neighbors kids, nieces and nephews,etc. 💙

#parents #toddlerlife #instamom #grandparents #watersafety

In just seconds, our entire life was completely tu

In just seconds, our entire life was completely turned upside down - and so are hundreds of families lives every year across the country every year.

Gunner was supposed to be napping. He was supposed to be safe in his bedroom sleeping.

Because a drowning can happen so quickly, in just seconds, barriers are the most important thing to have at your house, protecting your kids from a backyard pool.

#parents #watersafetymonth #drowningprevention #toddlers #summervibes

🌊Water Safety Tip 1. 🌊 A child can learn to

🌊Water Safety Tip 1. 🌊

A child can learn to float unassisted as early as 6 months old. With summer fast approaching, it is important for young children to have water safety skills in the water.

We wish every day that when we enrolled Gunner into swim lessons just 4 months before he drowned, that we enrolled him in lessons that would have allowed him to gain skills quickly and self rescue in case of an emergency.

#survivalswimming #watersafety #parents #summertime

This month we bring awareness to Water Safety. N

This month we bring awareness to Water Safety.

Not for our kids but for yours! That you may learn what we wish we had, before we lost our most precious thing, our child.

We will be sharing tips this month and ask that you share them too so that families who may not know about the risks of drowning may have a chance to learn:

The Florida Families Drowning Prevention Coalition was formed last year to be a source of healing, movement, and change. Where families who have lost someone to drowning have come together to help amplify our voices to have a bigger impact, with our goal to help reduce drowning in Florida.

#watersafety #drowningprevention #childloss
#parents

Thank you @seminolecountyfd for this Community Ser

Thank you @seminolecountyfd for this Community Service Award! We are so grateful and hope to make a huge difference here in Central Florida.

#watersafety #drowningprevention #childloss #communitypartner

Come along as we drop off our 96 spread joy bags t

Come along as we drop off our 96 spread joy bags to different Central Florida hospitals.

Thank you @nemours @adventhealthwomenandchildren @orlandohealth for accepting these bags!

Each bag is filled with one or two big toys, coloring book and crayons, and various activities for kids to help spread joy to kids in the hospitals.

#spreadjoylikegunner #childloss #giveback #spreadjoy

8 years ago today and it feels like yesterday and

8 years ago today and it feels like yesterday and a lifetime ago.

Missing you everyday.

#griefjourney #heavenday #childloss #watersafety

Orange County TV did a beautiful job sharing parts

Orange County TV did a beautiful job sharing parts of the reason why we do what we do. Thank you for highlighting such an important program and for doing it in such a beautiful way.

@ocfl @ocfirerescue @simplysproutllc
#watersafety #drowningprevention #parents #easter

‼️Florida Residents ‼️ The Florida Swims

‼️Florida Residents ‼️

The Florida Swims Foundation has created a speciality plate for swim lessons. All specialty plates require 3,000 orders in presale for the production and distribution to take place. $25 from the purchase of each plate goes back to support swim lessons.

If this is something you are interested in please visit this link:
https://plates.floridapoolpro.com/promo/

#watersafety #drowningprevention

3 dangers to consider when using puddle jumpers:

3 dangers to consider when using puddle jumpers:

✨False Sense of Security

Puddle jumpers can give children and parents a false sense of security in the water. For kids, they may think they can swim when they cannot and they cannot distinguish the difference between the “skills” they have with the puddle jumper or without. For parents, they may think their child may not need to be watched as attentively if their child has a puddle jumper on.

✨Improper Fit

If the puddle jumper doesn’t fit properly or is not worn correctly, it may not be able to keep a child completely above water, in a safe manner.

✨The Drowning Position

A puddle jumper positions the child in an upright position - the same position of someone drowning. Muscle memory makes it more difficult for children to learn to swim or retain their previous skills when using a puddle jumper. Swim and float skills are oftentimes hindered and the process of teaching a child to swim takes much longer.

‼️Ditch the floaties and enroll your child in swim lessons - preferably survival swim lessons. ‼️

For more information on how to keep your children safer follow @the_gunner_martin_foundation

#watersafety #drowningprevention #parenting #parents #toddler #littlemermaid #bluey

99 children died from downing last year (2023) in

99 children died from downing last year (2023) in the State of Florida.

🌊That means a child dies from drowning every 3.7 days!

My heart goes out to every single family member or person who has ever been affected with a drowning - fatal or non fatal.

‼️ Warning: I have included the data with dates/ counties/ short excerpt from DCF’s investigation. Please be cautious reading this and mindful if you share because this is so hard to read.‼️

If you are a family member or know of a family member who has been affected by drowning, please message me. We have a support /advocacy group that meets via zoom monthly. 🤍

#watersafety #drowningprevention #childloss #warning

On one of the hardest days of the year, this bring

On one of the hardest days of the year, this brings us joy.

Remembering Gunner while gathering with close friends and family as we give back and pack spread joy bags filled with toys and activities for kids in the hospital - this is always something we will enjoy.

Gunner would have turned 10 last month and we are grateful for every single person who has ever played a role in our foundation, has donated, shared a post, liked our social media, shared Gunners story, or thought of our family in hard times. Thank you.

#birthdayinheaven #watersafety #griefstory #afterloss #10yearsold

✨Orange County door alarm initiative news covera

✨Orange County door alarm initiative news coverage. ✨

5 of the major news stations picked up this story last week and we couldn’t be happier that now Orange County families will also have the opportunity to receive free door alarms. These door alarms are intended to help notify parents if a child were to be able to gain access outside. They are one of 5 approved pool barriers according to Florida Statute.

Last year I had the opportunity to speak with Orange County Fire about the importance of door alarms, and how something so simple could have saved our son Gunner’s life.

I am thrilled with their partnership and having this opportunity to work with various Counties and community leaders to help ensure our kids are safer will forever be my life’s mission.

This is for Gunner. And this is for your kids too!

If you live in Florida and would like to see something like this in your community/County, please message me on Instagram or email me at info@thegunnermartinfoundation.com so we can work to spread these initiatives.

#spreadjoy #watersafety #drowningprevention #dooralarm

Seminole County - y’all showed up! What a resp

Seminole County - y’all showed up!

What a response to over 300 applications in a week for the free survival swim lessons offered by Seminole County through the Pool Safely grant.

So grateful for @seminolecountyfl for all the work they have done for this to be available to the community and for @seminolecountyfd for the constant presence and work in regards to water safety!

@myswimlife_ig we are thrilled for this response and are excited to see all of these kids who can self rescue!

#watersafety #drowningprevention #poolsafely #survivalswimming

Today may be the first time ever that a fire depar

Today may be the first time ever that a fire department has installed a door alarm for a water safety initiative.

Orange County Fire just launched their door alarm initiative. And firefighters will be installing them in homes that have pools or other bodies of water.

@ocfirerescue @ocfl we cannot say how excited we are to see this come to fruition.

If you are an Orange County resident please make sure if you don’t have a barrier, you get your door alarms!
OCFL.net/DoorAlarms

#watersafetyawareness #drowningprevention #orangecountyfl

Seminole County, thank you for all that you do for

Seminole County, thank you for all that you do for the community!

I know Gunner would still be here if he had survival swim lessons and if we had door alarms on that sliding glass door.

✨Sometimes the lack of education and awareness is the only hinderance between a child being safe or not.. ✨

If you are a parent to young children or know one, please share our water safety information. I wish more than ever this was brought up to me 8+ years ago and I truly believe my son Gunner would still be here today - 10 years old and thriving.

#watersafety #drowningprevention #communitypartners @seminolecountyfd @seminolecountyfl #survivalswimming @myswimlife_ig

Its official. Our bills died in the House and Sena

Its official. Our bills died in the House and Senate.

Things I’m taking away from this:

1. You learn as you go and it’s okay to just start even if you don’t feel like you have all the expertise and knowledge you need.

2. Take note of the areas for improvement and start working on those areas as soon as you can. Now I understand committees and will be working towards making those connections count.

3. Don’t get discouraged. I’ll be the mom standing in front of delegation meeting etc forever until I see change and I’ll have a smile on my face and tears in my eyes doing it.

4. Make connections - it’s truly who you know!!

Here’s to next year, you’ll see us again!

#legislation #watersafety #advocate

Every year for Gunner’s birthday our family choo

Every year for Gunner’s birthday our family chooses to give back and spread joy! It’s a way for us to fill up our cups on one of the hardest days of the year.

This year we wanted to raise money to purchase gifts, toys, activities, and other fun items to create our “Spread Joy” bags for kids in the local hospitals who needed some uplifting.

Friends and family joined us and we spent Gunners 10th birthday giving back, celebrating Gunner, and being surrounded by loved ones.

Thank you every single person who donated, purchased toys, shared our information, commented, or reached out.

#griefjourney #watersafety #birthdayinheaven #spreadjoy

Happy 10th birthday Gunner. Our first. Our angel

Happy 10th birthday Gunner.

Our first. Our angel.

10 years ago on Super Bowl Sunday you decided to make your presence known and that was one of the happiest days of my life.

The months leading up to this day today have been emotional. Similar to the waves in the ocean, our grief goes up and down, but this month, wrapped around this date has been tougher.

This one thought came to me this month, and I realized… The only place my family will be whole and all together again is in heaven. And there my broken heart will be fully healed and I will get to hold Gunner again.

To all my families barreling grief, don’t let it take you down. Push through it and find something that gives purpose through the pain.

For us, that is doing acts of service and spreading joy. This year, today we will be packing 100 bags for kids in the hospital who need to smile. Kids who have been physically and sexually abused, kids with bad news about sickness and kids who are down because of extended stays.

We are grateful for everyone who donated or who purchased toys and gifts for these kids! I have a whole suv trunk full (with the back row folded down!) everything raised from the end of November is going towards these bags and we can’t wait to give them out and spread joy like Gunner.

For Gunner’s birthday, if you’re looking for a way to celebrate him, we ask you do a random act of kindness today or this weekend and think of him 🤍✨🌊.

#griefjourney #birthdayinheaven #watersafety #spreadjoy #actsofkindness

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