CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. — A mother whose son drowned in Long Lake last summer is giving away more than 200 life jackets this weekend to help prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy.
WATCH STORY HERE
Makaila Palmer has been collecting life jackets since April for "Swim Safe for Silas," a free life jacket program honoring her son who died last summer.
"I wasn't there that day. I was at work, so I've really been like fighting with myself to find something that makes me feel good enough to get that closure that I need as well," Palmer said.
Palmer told FOX17 that Silas was with family standing in shallow water when he went underwater and drowned.
"It happened so quick, and it's not like they say in movies with the thrashing and the yelling; it's immediate, and it's silent, and it just happens out of nowhere," Palmer said.
"It's coming up on a year of losing Silas, so it's just been the past couple weeks have been hard, but I think seeing my community come together and everyone come to pick up life jackets for their kids is really going to, you know, make me feel all better," Palmer said.
Solon Township Fire Chief Rich Hays and other firefighters tried to rescue Silas the day he died at Long Lake Park.
"We're absolutely happy to be part of this, but also, the crew that was on the scene, it'll bring that memory back to us," Hays said. "You know, this is a great thing to do for the community, but she may not ever know that this program that she started is actually going to save someone's life."
Palmer's goal is to make sure every child has a lifejacket to prevent future drownings.
"A lot of people have said that they are very proud of what I'm doing, and just even them hearing that wouldn't make me know that my Silas would be proud too," she said.
The Swim Safe for Silas free life jacket giveaway will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at Creative Technologies Academy Soccer Field on Solon Street.
Palmer plans to make Swim Safe for Silas an annual event.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
