Carroll ISD opens aquatic center named for student who drowned
SOUTHLAKE, Texas - The Carroll Independent School District is honoring a student who drowned several years ago by naming an aquatics center after her.
Elise Cerami drowned during a school swim team practice in 2016. The 13-year-old high school freshman went underwater and never resurfaced.
She spent more than six minutes at the bottom of the pool with teammates swimming around her.
Her coach, Tracey Boyd, was later found guilty of failing to provide adequate supervision and received three years of probation.
Over the past seven years, Elise’s mom, Lori Cerami, has worked to make sure her legacy lives on.
"We’re beyond grateful that the CISD administration and school board voted to make this happen and that the community has been so supportive in letting us share Elise’s life in a way that just makes a positive impact in our community and raises awareness, especially for kids with regards to water safety," she said.
Cerami turned her grief into a passion by creating the Swim4Elise Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works with local daycares to promote water safety.
North Texas family that lost daughter to drowning hoping to make sure it doesn't happen to another family
A Southlake family will soon mark five years since their 13-year-old daughter drowned during swim practice.
"Each summer we educate about 6,000 children on the importance of learning to swim and always having a capable water watcher," she said.
Cerami said people often forget that drownings are silent and can happen fast, even for strong swimmers like her daughter.
"It’s just really so important to have this awareness. And being able to share Elise’s story, people can really connect with the message and it becomes so much more meaningful," she said.