JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Olympic gold medalist and Jacksonville native Ryan Murphy returned to his hometown Wednesday with a mission far greater than winning races — saving lives.
Murphy joined city leaders at Blue Cypress Pool in Arlington to help launch the City of Jacksonville’s annual summer swim safety initiative. The campaign aims to reduce child drownings during the peak swimming season by promoting water safety awareness and swim education.
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“Drowning is the leading cause of preventable death for children ages one through five,” Murphy said.
Mayor Donna Deegan also attended the kickoff and emphasized the importance of swim skills, especially in Jacksonville.
“You want to have those skills to know how to swim if you need to,” Deegan said. “It’s really important when your community is surrounded by water to have swimming skills.”
Murphy also shared news about the recent opening of his Goldfish Swim School in St. Johns County, which offers year-round indoor lessons for children as young as four months old. He said there are future plans to expand the program into Duval County.
“And who knows—if they turn into an Olympian one day, then that can be a perk,” Murphy said with a smile. “But this is really about making sure kids are safe in the water.”
The urgency behind the campaign is backed by sobering statistics. In 2023, 97 children drowned in Florida. The Autism Society of Florida reported that 35 children with autism drowned in 2024, and 15 more have already lost their lives in 2025, as of July 19.
Jacksonville’s summer swim safety initiative includes free swim assessments, outreach at local community centers, and water safety education events at public pools throughout the city.
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