Swimming lessons set to begin for Brice Romero Memorial Fund

Two weeks after he graduated as a member of the 2009 graduating class of Abbeville High School, Brice Romero died in an accidental drowning after falling into a swimming pool.

“No one expects that to happen,” Romero’s mother, Linda Plowden said. “It’s the last thing I expected to happen.”

Today, Romero’s memory is still strong with his mother. And Plowden wants to make sure that memory means no family has to go through what hers did. So with the help of friend, Donna Libersat, Plowden has set up the Brice Romero Fund, which offers scholarships for swimming lessons to under privileged youth.

“I am really excited that it has come together,” Plowden said of the program, which will begin the first of two sessions this Monday. “I’m really proud of the work that we have done. For this to come through, I couldn’t be more ecstatic.

“This has strengthened me a lot, to know that I am able to do something that can help other kids. If this can save one life, I would be very thankful for that.”

Plowden said it hurts when she hears stories similar to hers.

“It’s something we need with all the drownings that are going on in the world today,” Plowden said. “They had that little 2-year-old in Jeanerette who drowned the other day.

“That had me in so many tears.”

Plowden stressed that no one take for granted the fact that a child can swim.

“I thought my son could swim, to be honest,” Plowden said of Brice. “I really did. We took him to swimming parties and to the beach, all of his life. We never took swimming lessons. We were just taught by family members. But we don’t know the proper procedures are anything like that.

“These kids are going to be taught the right way.”

The Brice Romero Fund will teach 15 children how to swim. Among those are Ploweden’s three grandchildren, Demitri Thibeaux, Natalie Thibeaux and Grant Thibeaux, who are 11, 8 and 8 years old, respectively. The other 12 students are Robert Celestine (12 years old), Titiansa Rice (13), Asia Solomon (4), Shavtavia Levy (11), Jakendrick Levy (10), Jaishyree Bessard (6), Patricia Porier (11), Sonya Trahan (10), Trenton Thibeaux (4), ZaNiyah Mitchell (9), and Quinton Marshall (10). Angela Gallet will serve as the program’s instructor.

The first session will run July 11-15, with the second to be held July 18-20. Parents are asked to drop off kids about five minutes before each lesson begins. Students must also be sure to bring a towel.

“This is the most awesome thing,” Plowden said.

She added a special thanks to Libersat.

“I don’t know if this would have gotten done without her,” Plowden said. “We are working on some more fund-raisers for later in the year. Hopefully we will get even more support for next year.”

She wants to honor Brice’s memory. Plowden said he cannot think of a better way that what will start on Monday.

“I’m proud of it,” Plowden said. “I can’t say anymore than thank God for everything.”