In a tragic turn of events, I lost my 3-year-old son, Ace. He was nonverbal and on the autism spectrum. One night, he wandered off  a behavior known as elopement, which is common among autistic individuals  and tragically drowned in a nearby apartment complex pool in the middle of the night. My heart aches every day as I replay those moments and wonder how this could have been prevented.

Sadly, Ace’s story is not an isolated incident. The drowning rate for children on the autism spectrum is disturbingly high. Children with autism are 160 times more likely to die from drowning compared to other children. This alarming data forces us to confront the undeniable fact that drowning is a significant public health crisis affecting the autistic community.

We need nationwide recognition of this crisis to drive action and prevent further tragedies. This means implementing systemic changes, such as mandatory gated community pool regulations, increased funding for autism education, and greater public awareness campaigns aimed at preventing elopement among children with autism.

Losing a child is an unimaginable pain no parent should endure, especially when it is preventable. By declaring the drowning of autistic children a national public health crisis, we can allocate resources and focus needed policy changes to safeguard these vulnerable lives. We need to equip communities with the tools and knowledge necessary to protect autistic children, preventing easily avoidable losses and saving countless lives.

Join me in urging the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and local government bodies to act now. Please sign this petition to demand the declaration of autistic children drowning as a national public health crisis. Together, we can create a safer environment for our children and ensure that the loss of young lives like Ace's was not in vain.