As families prepare for summer swimming season, one mother is sharing a heartbreaking message about water safety that she hopes will save lives. Emilie Kiser posted an emotional video on Thursday, April 30, addressing drowning prevention nearly one year after her 3-year-old son Trigg died in a backyard pool accident.
"Our son Trigg passed away from a preventable drowning accident," Kiser said in the TikTok video. "This video is about my son Trigg and hopefully helping other families and other children. This is a topic I will continue to talk about when I feel comfortable because it is extremely hard to talk about. I hope people can understand that."
The timing of Kiser's advocacy carries particular significance. May marks Water Safety Awareness Month, and the approaching summer months typically see increased swimming activity and, tragically, more drowning incidents. Kiser emphasized that her son's death in 2025 was preventable, taking full accountability as a parent while urging others to learn from her family's devastating loss.
The statistics Kiser shared paint a sobering picture of the risks facing young children. Drowning is the number one cause of death in children ages one to four, and such incidents occur every single day across the country. "That is an extremely hard statistic to swallow because I truly just can't believe how much it happens," she reflected in her video.
Practical Safety Measures for Families
Kiser outlined specific, actionable steps that parents and caregivers can take to protect children around water. Her recommendations include installing pool fences, ensuring door alarms are functional with updated batteries, and maintaining constant supervision when children are near water. These barriers and monitoring systems create multiple layers of protection that can prevent unsupervised access to pools.
Beyond physical safety measures, Kiser strongly advocated for enrolling children in swim lessons, particularly infant swimming resource (ISR) lessons. These specialized survival swim sessions serve children from 6 months to 6 years old, focusing on teaching self-rescue skills specifically designed to prevent drowning.
"ISR gives your child a chance to live. We have already seen such a dramatic change in our son who is only a year old by having him in ISR lessons every single day," she said, referring to her and husband Brady Kiser's 13-month-old son, Teddy. "I cannot believe how quickly he has picked up the techniques. I am so proud of him."
The influencer also emphasized the importance of CPR training, describing it as a critical life-saving skill that can be applied to anyone in danger, not just children in water-related emergencies.
The Tragic Incident and Its Aftermath
Trigg was found unconscious in the family's backyard pool in 2025. Emilie confirmed the tragedy via Instagram in May 2025, writing: "Trigg is our baby and our best friend. The light and spirit he brought into this world was bright, pure, joyful and undeniable. We miss him every second of every day and continuing forward often feels unbearable. I never thought we would experience grief in this way or the pain of losing him so suddenly."
According to reports, Emilie was not home at the time of the incident. Brady told authorities he was home alone with their two sons. The Chandler, Arizona Police Department investigated and recommended a Class 4 felony charge of child abuse against Brady Kiser. However, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office declined to pursue charges, citing no likelihood of conviction.
Earlier in April, Emilie publicly shared that she had forgiven her husband in the aftermath of their son's death. "You don't heal from the loss, you learn to live with the grief. Lots of therapy and consistently," she wrote via TikTok. "As well as [the] realization that everyone deserves love, empathy, and forgiveness."
A Message for Water Safety Awareness Month
Kiser's decision to speak publicly about her family's tragedy during Water Safety Awareness Month reflects her determination to prevent other families from experiencing similar loss. Her message resonates particularly strongly as warmer weather approaches and more families will be spending time around pools, lakes, and beaches.
"May is Water Safety Awareness month and a lot of kids are going to be swimming and unfortunately more drownings are gonna happen," she said. "And I really hope if you see this video you please please please install a pool fence, make sure you have door alarms, make sure if you have door alarms all of your batteries are updated. Please make sure you watch your children around the water."
The influencer's advocacy transforms personal grief into public service, offering concrete guidance that could prevent other families from enduring the unbearable pain she describes navigating minute by minute. Her emphasis on multiple safety layers—physical barriers, constant supervision, swim education, and emergency preparedness—provides a comprehensive framework for water safety that extends beyond any single precaution.