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The Ethan Gallmeyer Story and How it Could Save Your Child's or Grandchild's Life

August 2006

It's summertime and your grown kids may be coming to visit. And, joy of joys, they are bringing the grandkids! There will be swimming and boating, lots of outdoor games, and plenty of eating. Lots of conversation - or what we call in my family "schmoozing." It's such fun.

But it can turn into tragedy if you are not careful. Because, as we get together with all this family excitement, who's watching the kids? Who's asking themselves if the new environment is safe, if the activities are safe?

Let me tell you about 6-year-old Ethan Gallmeyer from Graham, Washington.

A few weeks ago his parents took him to visit grandpa out on his farm. It was a beautiful summer evening. Mom and Dad were watching from a distance as Ethan sat on Grandpa's lap on the riding lawnmower as they mowed the big expanse of grass. It was so cute, his parent's thought.

But then there was a scream from the field and their smiles turned into dread. Grandpa had gone around a corner and Ethan fell off. His left foot went under the mower and in an instant there was serious injury.

The blade had missed an artery but it still was very bad. It was too mangled for the ambulance crew and the local hospital. Ethan was airlifted to the trauma center 40 miles away in Seattle and now, weeks later, it looks like his foot will be saved. How well he will walk is not clear yet.

So I spoke to the parents, Zack and Reanne. They've re-run the moments before, during, and after the accident a million times in their heads. It's a bad movie. Could they have prevented this? Was it a one -in-a-million type accident? Should they have supervised their kid - even with grandpa - more closely.

The pediatricians say absolutely yes. We adults let our guard down at these family gatherings. Our homes are babyproofed and childproofed but not the homes of our older relatives. We forget and they are, frankly, often "clueless."

So as your family gets together PLEASE give extra thought and make plans for child safety. A drowning can happen in seconds, unfamiliar games and surroundings can lead to serious injury, and grandparents - and parents - can be lulled into poor judgment. Ethan, his parents, and his grandfather know.

When I think back on my childhood I think of how lucky I was not to be seriously injured or even killed. I did dumb things. And my parents were not always attentive. I bet you can relate to this too.

So here comes the dog days of August and family get togethers. Keep yours a happy event.

-Andrew Schorr