A South Jersey community is grieving alongside a family that has lived every parent’s worst nightmare. Elijah Stephen, a 3-year-old boy from Blackwood known to everyone as Eli, drowned in his family’s backyard pool late last month. He was rushed to a hospital, but his injuries were too severe. His family lost him days later. Since then, neighbors and strangers alike have rallied around the Stephens.
On a Saturday in late June, Eli somehow made his way into the backyard pool. His father, an officer, found him and began CPR right away. Meanwhile, his mother immediately called 911. Emergency crews and doctors fought hard to save Eli and managed to restore his heartbeat for a brief moment.
However, the swelling in his brain was too much to overcome. In the midst of their grief, the Stephens made the decision to donate Eli’s organs so that other children might live. He leaves behind his twin sister and a 6-year-old brother, with a family that’s now remembering him for “his gentle soul, huge smile, and big blue eyes”
Alongside the mourning, something quietly powerful has taken shape. The community has surrounded the Stephens with support. Eli’s father, in his grief, has urged other parents never to take an ordinary moment for granted. In that spirit, two things stand alongside the grief. One is a town’s compassion. The other is what it can teach every family about water.
The Town That Refuses to Let Them Grieve Alone
The response has been overwhelming from the families in Eli’s community. An online fundraiser for the Stephens raised over $20,000 within days. Much of the money came from strangers who had never even met the family. The money is meant to ease the burdens a nightmare like this brings, from medical bills to funeral costs. Behind the dollars is a sentiment that has echoed through the town, that when one family hurts, everyone hurts.
Through all of it, the family has kept the focus on Eli. They’ve spoken of a little boy with a gentle nature and a smile people couldn’t forget, a child who gave hugs freely. The decision to donate his organs may spare other families a similar kind of grief in the future. It’s a final gift from a 3-year-old who, by every account, was pure warmth.
How to Avoid Drownings with Small Children
A child can drown within minutes, even with supervision. It can be chilling how quickly it can happen, in fact, as there’s usually no splashing and no screaming. It can take just under a minute, in the time it takes to answer a phone or turn to another kid. That’s why you need layers of protection to keep things from ever getting to that point.
Here’s what those layers look like. A four-sided fence with a self-latching gate, separating the pool from the house, is one of the most effective barriers there is. Alarms on doors and on the water can buy critical seconds. A designated “water watcher” helps too, along with swim lessons, life jackets for weak swimmers, and an adult trained in CPR. Having all of these safeguards just might end up saving another child or adult one day.