TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Super Bowl champion Shack Barrett spoke about water safety at the Glaser Children’s Museum on Tuesday.
Barrett’s family experienced tragedy in 2023 when his two-year-old daughter, Areja, died in the family pool.
Watch: Man accused of stealing a luxury yacht surrounded by Florida agents
He has since defended water safety. His speech at the Children’s Museum came during National Water Safety Month.
The messages he shared included parents taking precautions around the pool and that when it comes to putting their children in swimming lessons, parents would never be overprepared.
“To speak from the heart is just making it more realistic for people and saying where I got wrong, where my family was wrong, maybe that’s what they’re doing now,” he said. “Turn the alarm and the backdoor alarm will come back. Make sure you have all the right gates. Just such little things to avoid serious tragedy.”
The Bullet Family also partners with organizations such as Glazer and Watermelon Swim to help raise awareness.
“No one wants to think about losing a child, losing a loved one or losing someone in general,” Barrett said. “So if we can put ourselves in that frame of mind for a moment, then no one wants to be in that position, so we’ll take all the safety precautions necessary to avoid that situation.”
Watermelon swimming teaches all children swimming and safety. Florida is the first in the country and Hillsboro County is the first in the state, with children under the age of four dead from drowning, according to the organization.
Jennifer Scalpetta said she was considering taking her 1-year-old daughter to listen to story time and putting her child in swimming lessons.
“My husband is a master diver, so we didn’t even think about putting her in a swimming class, but it’s really great that they have them and they have four places,” she said.
The swimming lesson is that watermelon swimming can reduce the risk of death by 88%.
“No matter all the safety precautions you have, accidents can still happen. So, try to teach your child how to survive in the pool at any time, for the time it takes to survive until someone helps,” Barrett said.
Watermelon swimming has five different locations in the area and lessons for all ages, including newborns. Click here for more information.
