DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — A teen's heroic death in Broward County is inspiring change, marked by an emotional ceremony to unveil a life ring at Lake Ida Park today.
Aden Perry died four years ago in Sunrise while trying to save a driver whose vehicle had gone into a lake.
Aden's mother, Sarah Perry, is now on a mission to make sure this does not happen again. She has given more than 600 life-saving rings to install near bodies of water in the state.
The life rings show a picture of Aden and a message inspiring others to be heroes. Delray Beach is the latest city to join the initiative.
Region S Palm Beach County
'Prevent further tragedy': New rescue rings placed where 8-year-old boy drowned
"When somebody says that, perhaps it’ll inspire somebody else to do what he did to be kind, selfless, brilliant, and aspirational. Be heroic, you don’t have to save somebody's life to be a hero," Perry said. "It’s just reminder what he did that night. We don’t know where the next water tragedy is going to be so the object is to be proactive, and have a life ring there so that a Good Samaritan can use to save a life."
The life rings have already been used in several rescues in Palm Beach County. Perry's goal is to reach Tallahassee and make the installations a statewide mandate.
