We are Shannon and Melanie Heim and live in Clarksville, Tennessee.

In July 2018, we hosted our best friends Bri, Ryan, and their four children from Colorado for a week-long visit. We hadn't seen each other in a while and were eager to spend time together and create new memories with all of our children. On July 28th, we planned a picnic and swim party at Pennyrile State Park Beach in KY, about an hour away, to celebrate the 3rd birthday of Bri and Ryan's daughter Avery. The day started off wonderfully, with laughter, swimming, eating, and sandcastle building. However, in a split second, everything changed when Kinsley, who was four years old, somehow managed to take off her life jacket and enter the water without anyone noticing. It was only when our 10-year-old sons found her in the water that we realized what had happened. We rushed to save her, but despite our best efforts and the paramedics' intervention, Kinsley passed away. The rest of the day is a blur, and the memories of that tragic incident still haunt us. However, we have channeled our grief and pain into educating others about water safety. We've put our own children through survival swim training and are committed to making a positive impact from this tragedy.

It can happen in seconds. It can happen to you.

 

The Kinsley Lynch Foundation was created to educate so no family will have to go through what we did that day.