After 25 years in the military, losing several military friends to combat, accidents, illness and suicide, and seeing the impact on families, Joe Lewis decided he wanted to do what he could to take care of the children left behind.
He started Angels of America’s Fallen, an organization that pays for children to participate in extracurricular activities to help them develop and cope with losing a parent. Swimming has been the most popular activity so far. The group commits to offering this assistance throughout a recipients’ childhood — an average of 11 years — so many kids must be placed on a waiting list until more funds are raised or another child leaves.
But, after yet another tragedy, Lewis decided this situation wouldn’t suffice when it came to swim lessons. A few months after an Air Force veteran passed away, his wife contacted Angels of America’s Fallen. Just months later, when Lewis contacted the woman, he began talking about options for her six children.
“It’s five children now,” she said, explaining that her 2-year-old, Lylah, drowned just 13 months after losing her father.
“I was completely crushed when I heard about it,” Lewis says.“I decided we needed to do something to try to prevent another child of our fallen from falling victim to that again.”
He learned that initial swim lessons can reduce drowning risks by 85%. “I became determined to find a way to get that basic life-skill training to all children of our fallen nationwide,” he says.
To do this, Lessons from Lylah partners with aquatics facilities willing to teach for free. The National Swimming Pool Foundation granted funds for coordination. Other partners include Jewish Community Centers, YMCA and the Boys and Girls Clubs.
The program launched at the end of summer, 2017, and 107 children signed up immediately. Lewis expects many more children to receive lessons this year, the first when Lessons from Lylah will function for an entire summer.
