A shoreline family is looking to turn their scare on the water into a life saving idea.
This the idea of 14 year old Jamison Wenc of Waterford. Life jackets saved his family when their boat sank on Long Island Sound.
A week later Wenc felt compelled to do something after a 6-year-old New London boy who fell into the water wasn’t as fortunate.
“Needless to say I was shocked. I thought about my little brother,” said Wenc. He could only think what if it was his brother who was in Anthony Bernoudy’s place on July 4th. Bernoudy drowned at Green Harbor Beach in New London.
“I'm not glad that Anthony had to pass but I'm glad I have people in my life to help me bring this to actually the beaches to save people,” Wenc added.
New London Parks and Recreation unanimously approved Jamison’s idea to put life jackets at the beach Wednesday night. “It does show that there is a humanistic aspect to many people in our community,” said Tommie Major, New London’s Director of Recreation.
“I know he's a sensitive kid but he always really goes above and beyond for everybody,” said Jennifer Antonino, Wenc’s mother.
She knows she is lucky her four kids are safe now after their experience more than a month ago. The family was boating off the coast of Seaside Beach in Waterford. They had life jackets and were able to flag down another boat that helped them to safety.
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“If every boater donated one life jacket and you look at how many boats there are, that's a lot of life jackets,” said Antonino who helped her son organize it with the Parks Department. “More than for Green Harbor Beach and Anthony's name.”
The rest was Jamison’s initiative to aid his neighboring community. “What better way just to help out and actually make a difference,” said Wenc.
Anthony Bernoudy’s grandmother says they’re still in shock over his death but are grateful for the program in his memory that could save lives.
