Jul 16, 2008 6:55 pm US/Central
Drowned Boy's Family Works To Prevent Other Deaths
(WCCO)
A Stillwater family, still grieving over the Father's Day weekend drowning of their toddler, is sending a message to other parents. They're on a mission to prevent this from happening to others.
Elliot Barbier, 2, drowned last month in the family's backyard pool when his father turned his back for just a minute.
"He was such a special little boy, amazing little boy just full of life and his life ended way too soon," said family friend Marita Metcalf.
Four weeks after the death of their son, it's still too soon for the Barbier's to talk about their little boy without tears.
"There's a piece missing," said Elliot's father, Anthony Barbier.
Anthony found Elliot in the pool and tried CPR to save his son.
Now he and his wife Kristen are on a quest to save other children from the same tragedy.
"Legislation to make it mandatory for houses that are sold or bought to have pool alarms," he said. "It's something that could save a life."
The family also set up the Little Prince Foundation in Elliot's name. The foundation raises money to train swim instructors safety techniques for young children.
"To be taught not to panic when you fall into a pool when your small, but you would flip over, roll over," said Metcalf.
The foundation is also distributing replicas of Elliot's favorite blanket along with his story to hospitals to warn parents about pool danger.
"It gives me comfort knowing we're doing something in his honor," said Metcalf.
The Barbier's built a memorial garden for their son to help them remember his spirit and heal their broken hearts.
"We have the angel that's right in the middle of the garden. It's a place for us to sit and reflect," said Elliot's dad.
The Barbiers rush ordered a Safety Turtle Pool Alarm bracelet for Elliot which sounds when it gets wet.
It was supposed to come on a Friday, but it didn't. Elliot died the next day.
They're kicking off their fundraising efforts for the foundation on July 31 with a golf tournament at Oak Glen Country Club in Stillwater.
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