As Memorial Day marks the start of a busy summer swim season, one North Texas city leader is proving that learning to swim isn’t just for kids — it’s a skill every adult should consider, no matter their age.
Grand Prairie Councilman Junior Ezeonu, 25, is learning how to swim for the very first time through adult swim lessons at the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas.
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WATCH HEREHis motivation? A deeply personal one – he nearly drowned at age 11 and has feared the water ever since.
The incident took place at what was supposed to be a harmless swimming party for his brother’s basketball team.
“Everyone was in the pool, and they were making fun of me for not getting in the pool. So I was like, I'll show these guys – I'll show them I can swim,” Ezeonu recalled in an interview with NBC 5, adding that he didn’t realize at the time that he had jumped into the deep end. “I’d never been near a pool at that age and jumped in the deep side. Immediately as I got into the water, I literally [sunk]. It was insanely scary, very terrifying.”
He recalled how a bystander, the mother of another child at the pool, jumped in and pulled him to safety.
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“She took me out the water. Just saved my life, truly,” he said. “So for the last 12, 13 years I had been traumatized never going anywhere near water, terrified of water, even the thought of dipping my toe in water for a good amount of time was very scary for me.”
It took more than a decade for Ezeonu to confront that trauma. But last summer, as a young elected leader in a growing community, he decided it was time to face his fear head-on. He completed his first round of swim lessons and plans to continue this summer.
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SIGN UP I've been proud that I've made some progress. Still got some work to do – definitely to be more comfortable and be an even better swimmer, but I've made some progress and I'm moving in the right direction,” he said.
The YMCA’s adult-specific swim program is designed to give beginners the tools they need to feel safe and confident in and around water. From floating techniques to treading water, the classes focus on foundational skills that can make all the difference in an emergency.
"There were some days you're walking up to the water like — oh my goodness, I don't want to do this because you're just frustrated from not being able to do your best. But you understand it's a process," he said. "It takes time. And eventually there was a day where I was so much better compared to the first four or three trainings. It felt so good.
"When you accomplish something that seems impossible, especially as someone that almost drowned as a child during my formative years, it just feels amazing learning and feeling like you're making progress."
According to the American Red Cross, one in five adults in the U.S. can’t swim. And drowning remains the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4.
Tragically, 15 children have already drowned in Texas this year — including one in Dallas County and two in Tarrant County. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also shows that children in minority communities, particularly Black children between the ages of 5 and 14, drown at significantly higher rates than their peers.
Councilman Ezeonu hopes his story will resonate with other adults who may have similar fears or who simply never had the opportunity to learn.
“A lot of times, swimming lessons are pushed on kids so they learn while they’re small,” he said. “But adults need to learn, too. This is a skill that may save your life—or the lives of those you know and love.”
Click here if you are interested in taking swim classes through the YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas. If cost is an issue, the YMCA offers scholarships and other assistance for those who need it.
