Be Like Buckle

BUCKLE, NEAL THE SEAL, AND POPPY THE HARBOR PORPOISE Three friends One big adventure And a mission that reaches far beyond the pages of a book. Adventures Start Buckled is a story about friendship, courage, adventure, smart choices, looking out for one another and helping people come home safely. It was created to make boating and water safety fun, memorable, engaging, and meaningful for children. But beneath the waves of this little story lives a much deeper purpose. This book honors those who went out on the water…and never came home. The lives behind the statistics, the empty chairs, the unanswered calls, the families forever missing someone they love. And it honors those who continue to carry their memories forward.. the parents, spouses, children, siblings, friends, first responders, teammates, and entire communities whose lives were forever changed. Over the course of this journey, I have had the privilege of meeting with families who have experienced unimaginable loss. I have listened to their stories, shared tears with them, and talked with them about what this project could become. Their trust, compassion, encouragement, and willingness to help turn tragedy into purpose have profoundly moved me. To those families, THANK YOU!!!!!! Your loved ones matter, their stories matter, and their memory is part of the reason Buckle exists. After more than 40 years on the water, I also think about the extraordinary people I have had the privilege of serving and working beside, they know the rescues, they know the searches and they know the moments when everything went right, and the moments we desperately wish had ended differently. They know that behind every boating tragedy is not a number. It is a person A family A story May this project honor them as well, because that is why Buckle’s message matters. If we can help one child make a smarter choice, If we can help one family avoid the heartbreak of a preventable loss…If a child learns that wearing a life jacket is simply part of every adventure…Then maybe a safer choice made today can change the ending of someone’s story tomorrow. So, let’s help children fall in love with the water, let’s teach them to respect it, and let’s show them that looking out for one another is what good friends do. And let’s do everything we can to make sure that when the adventure is over…they come home. For those we have lost, For those who carry their memory, And for the next generation whose stories are still being written. BE SMART, WEAR IT FROM THE START I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to the many people who have helped bring the #BeLikeBuckle project to life, and I cannot wait to begin sharing their stories. Because today isn't the finish line. THE ADVENTURE IS JUST BEGINNING!!! Keep Being Amazing Tommyyyyyyyyy [read more]

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