For a grieving father, swimming has become a bittersweet experience. Once a source of joy, the pool now evokes feelings of dread and haunting memories of his late wife, a keen swimmer who found relief from vaccine-induced long COVID in the water. He recalls precious moments watching her swim with their toddler son, even when she was very ill.
Now, he attends a children's swimming program twice a week with his son. While his son giggles and splashes happily, the father struggles to fake a smile, feeling drained by loss. The smell of chlorine triggers powerful memories, from his own childhood joy to carrying his exhausted wife from the pool after swimming with their son.
His grief is personal, but anxieties about swimming are common. Other parents have shared concerns about children struggling to stay afloat or feeling overwhelmed. Research from Royal Life Saving Australia in 2025 found that 46% of 11-12-year-olds cannot swim 50 metres and tread water for two minutes, following an increase in drowning deaths during the 2024-2025 summer.
Factors contributing to the decline in swimming include COVID-19 disruptions, a shortage of instructors, high pool entry fees, and lack of accessible pools. The father acknowledges his fortune in having an affordable, nearby program with kind instructors and an appropriate pool. He is grateful to be part of his son's swimming journey, but watching him grow in the water without his wife remains hard and bittersweet.
