X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Heroic girl drowns trying to save cousin at a swimming party

2 min read
Heroic girl drowns trying to save cousin at a swimming party

Gabby Macalino was at a swimming party last Sunday together with a 5-year-old cousin. Gabby knew how to swim well, but her younger cousin did not.

Our hearts broke when we received a Viber message about a heroic 9-year-old girl who died trying to save her cousin from drowning.

The message explains that Gabby Macalino a 4th grade student at Saint Pedro Poveda College in Philippines, was at a swimming party last Sunday together with a 5-year-old cousin. Gabby knew how to swim well, but her younger cousin did not.

Although there were adults nearby, they realized too late that the two children were drowning. Gabby's mother, a doctor, administered Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) as soon as they were out of the water.

By the time they got to the nearest hospital, Gabby was no longer responsive. The message says that all her organs were bleeding already. Life support was the only that was keeping her alive.

A mother's farewell

On Monday, her mother Ayzel made the difficult decision to pull the plug. Her cousin who was in the intensive care unit (ICU) died a few days after.

In a Facebook post, Gabby's mom asked everyone to continue praying for the two children. She ended with a message to her daughter, "I will forever long for you, baby. You will always be my baby. Everyday wouldn't be the same now. I love you [my] MEYMENG ko SO VERY much! To the moon and back. To infinity and beyond."

Remind children to call for help

Swimming parties are fun but safety should always be the top priority. Hire a life guard (to untrained eyes, drowning looks like a game), be in the pool with your kids (it is easier to be distracted when you are outside the pool), and strictly enforce safety rules like no running around the pool area. And just like not making bomb jokes in airports, no joking around about drowning or needing help.

Also, remind the children to call for help when they see someone in trouble. No matter how well they can swim, they are not strong enough to save someone who is drowning, who may pull them down in an effort to get some air.

If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them in our Comment box below. 

Partner Stories
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Run a Company or Raise a Child? Why Singapore Makes It Very Possible to Do Both
Run a Company or Raise a Child? Why Singapore Makes It Very Possible to Do Both
An inspiring story of a rural Asian mum - Find out how you can help!
An inspiring story of a rural Asian mum - Find out how you can help!

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Paige Li

  • Home
  • /
  • Real Stories
  • /
  • Heroic girl drowns trying to save cousin at a swimming party
Share:
  • Parents, Here Are Some Safety Measures In Swimming Pool

    Parents, Here Are Some Safety Measures In Swimming Pool

  • 9 Easy Ways To Safely Introduce Your Baby To Swimming

    9 Easy Ways To Safely Introduce Your Baby To Swimming

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

  • Parents, Here Are Some Safety Measures In Swimming Pool

    Parents, Here Are Some Safety Measures In Swimming Pool

  • 9 Easy Ways To Safely Introduce Your Baby To Swimming

    9 Easy Ways To Safely Introduce Your Baby To Swimming

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.