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Turtle Power Triumph: Ten Years After Near-Drowning, James Edwards Graduates 5th Grade

James Edwards {courtesy family}

It has been a decade since James Edwards, a toddler at the time, nearly drowned in his family’s backyard pool in Coral Springs.

Now, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fan is graduating 5th grade at Country Hills Elementary.

On May 30, 2014, his parents, Jenna and Skyler, were at the hospital for the birth of their second child when James, two, slipped away from his grandfather and fell into the pool. He was found unresponsive shortly after.

“The first responders administered CPR, and thanks to the implementation of the Handtevy resuscitation system, James was given life-saving medication to try to restart his heart in our backyard.”

James Edwards in 2014. {Courtesy Edwards family}

He was transported to Broward Health Fort Lauderdale, where he spent 42 days in the PICU.

According to Jenna, James has faced many challenges over the years. He is entirely reliant on others for every aspect of his life.

“We have managed to find therapies that are more activity-based to give him some entertainment while also being effective in helping him with physical growth,” she added.

James receives physical therapy at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Coral Springs each week and uses an exoskeleton to simulate walking at home, his mom shared.

Cognitively, James has always shown his comprehension of the world around him, Jenna said. “While he cannot interact verbally, he has adapted his communication skills, and we are all learning to communicate with him every day.”

James uses an Augmentative and Alternative Communication device with his eyes.

“It is really rewarding to see him express his thoughts and have others understand him. He is a child who loves being social,” she said, adding that the family is always looking for ways for James to interact with his peers.

The oldest of the Edwards’ four children and one of the 13 grandchildren living in Coral Springs and Parkland, James is considered “just one of the kids.”

Jenna said the children treat him like royalty and always consider his needs and inclusion. He thinks the world of his siblings and thinks they are the funniest people around. She shared that the kids are James’s biggest advocates and lead by example to their peers.

“Our family is very close, and I cannot stress the impact that constant social stimulation has had on James.”

The family recently moved to Parkland. Skyler Edwards works in sales, and Jenna has started an administrative assistant position.

James is still the biggest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan, and that love “has not wavered at any point in his life.” The family’s Facebook page, which shares updates about James and his recovery, is named “Turtle Power” to reflect that love.

She shared that he recently became interested in mature prank shows like Impractical Jokers. He has a fun sense of humor and loves to laugh.

“We are a baseball family, and he is his brothers’ number one fan,” Jenna said. “He enjoys spending his nights and weekends at the baseball field, as long as he has the proper luxuries in place – like his own umbrella chair, a fan, a cold beverage to sip on, and some snacks being fed to him. He loves when people come up to talk to him.”

Jenna said the support and love of the Coral Springs community have been essential for James’s recovery.

“Our friends and neighbors have proven time and again that even though we aren’t a small town, we support each other in times of need,” she added.

Edwards family {Courtesy}

Since the accident, there have been countless fundraisers, restaurant givebacks, a golf tournament, an entire beer vessel brewed in James’s honor, T-shirts made, and many items sent to the hospital nationwide.

“This is a community where people, ten years later, still come up to James and tell him how amazing he is and how they continue to root for his success,” Jenna said.

Reflecting on the ten years after James’s accident, she said love has been the foundation of the family as they navigated unimaginable challenges.

“Love has been our driving force. We chose 1 Corinthians 13 as a reading at our wedding that we live out every day about love: “It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

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Agrippina Fadel

Agrippina Fadel grew up in Siberia and received her master's in journalism from Tyumen State University. A resident of Florida for over 10 years, she also works as a marketing and communication specialist at a local university.