In The Press
GMA: Seattle Nonprofit Promotes Water Safety
After losing her son to a drowning incident, Chezik Tsunoda created “No More Under” to increase water safety education and access to swim lessons. Read more...
NPR: How to stay safe while swimming this summer
Drowning is the number one cause of death for children ages 1-4 in the United States. NPR's Life Kit has water safety tips to keep young swimmers safe this summer. Listen Here.
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New York Times: Drowning is No. 1 Killer of Young Children. U.S. Efforts to Fix It Are Lagging.
Thirty years of progress in decreasing drowning deaths in the United States appears to have plateaued, and disparities in deaths among some racial groups have worsened. Read more...
ABC News: Son's drowning death leads to Seattle mom starting nonprofit to promote water safety
A Seattle mom who lost her 3-year-old son in a drowning incident has now established a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through water safety education, legislation and increasing equitable access to swimming lessons. Read more…
Yahoo News: Drowning deaths on the rise: CDC
Seattle Times: How to stay safe on the water as WA heat wave approaches
With soaring temperatures on the way, Washington residents may be planning to counter the heat with their first swim or paddle of the season.
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But water safety experts advise recreationalists to proceed with caution as the mercury rises, given that lakes have yet to warm up, and snowmelt is coursing through many rivers, making them especially cold. Read more…
King 5: This mother is working to get BIPOC children more access to swimming lessons, water safety skills
There's a national push to save the lives of Black and brown children by teaching them to swim. Studies show BIPOC kids are three times more likely to die from drowning than white kids. Read more…
9 News: Swim Lessons from 'No More Under'
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The Urbanist: Drownings Spike in Urban Waters, Hitting People of Color Hardest
The program works closely with community groups like No More Under - a nonprofit dedicated to equitable swim access and tools. Read more...
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Rollingout: How the drowning of Chezik Tsunoda’s toddler son launched her new life’s mission
Chezik Tsunoda's entire life changed in 2018. That was the year her 3-year-old son Yori, drowned. The filmmaker used her pain to direct the 2022 production Drowning in Silence. Read more...
News 9: Drowning Report Issues Warnings to Parents as Summer Approaches
A warning for parents as we approach summer- nearly 400 children die every year from drowning in pools and spas. One mother is speaking out to prevent future tragedies. Read more…
Kiro 7: Youth Drowning Deaths
Pasadena Now: Rose Bowl Aquatics Center Community Benefit Promotes Water Safety
Sobering film illustrates the painful impact of childhood drownings, emphasizes prevention. Read more…
ABC 7: A mother loses her young son in drowning accident, then wins Congressional commitment for water safety resources
King 5: Mother of drowning victim brings change to state water safety with ‘Yori’s Law’
Chezik Tsunoda lost her 3-year-old in 2018, and since then has made it her mission to prevent more child drownings in Washington. Read more…
Seattle Times: Swimming against inequity: All children deserve water-safety education
As summer approaches and families gear up for pool days and beach vacations, it’s important to remember that the joys of the season can also bring a serious threat to our children’s safety. Read more…
Fox 13: Healthier Together: Importance of water safety
The weather has really started to warm up recently, and that means families are looking for ways to cool off in lakes, rivers and community pools.
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This week in Healthier together, we’re focusing on water safety and how one local mom has turned her pain into her purpose. Read more…
Mother pours grief from her child's drowning into creating Nonprofit & Film
When you ask Chezik Tsunoda about her son Yori, she’ll tell you, "Yori is one of the biggest personalities,” she says, describing her son as an old soul with a love for airplanes and dreams of piloting them.
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But in August of 2018, Tsunoda and her family went to a friend’s house in Bellevue to play in the pool.
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“Everybody just kind of jumped in and was hanging out and it literally happened so quickly,” Tsunoda said.
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Even with a parent, another adult and other children in the pool, Yori silently slipped under the surface. No one noticed until they saw him face down in the water. Read more…
'It was moments': Bellevue mother works to prevent drownings after son's death
Drowning is a leading cause of death for children between one and four years old in the United States, and one Bellevue mother is on a mission to educate others about water safety after her own personal tragedy.
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Chezik Tsunoda is a mom of four and founder of the non-profit No More Under. In 2018, Tsunoda and her family were visiting a friend's house for a day in their pool.
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"We had lots of friends and children running around, and we were not super paying attention to the water," Tsunoda said. "There were adults in the water so there's kind of an assumption that when there are adults and children are in the water that people are watching."
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Then, Tsunoda's 3-year-old son Yori was spotted floating in the pool. The adults pulled Yori out of the pool and attempted to perform CPR until first responders arrived and took him to a children's hospital. However, medics weren't able to save him.
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"It was too late," Tsunoda said. "When I tell you moments... It was moments." Read more…
ParentMap
While water safety seems simple, accidental drownings are a leading cause of death for children ages 1–4 and spike again during the teenage years. With lifeguard shortages, life-jacket stations shuttered in our area and new COVID-19 precautions to consider, it’s more important than ever that families know top tips for keeping kids safe around water.
Please watch this important conversation with No More Under founder Chezik Tsunoda, Seattle Children's Suicide and Injury Prevention Program Manager Isabell Sakamoto, and Bellevue Fire Department's Lieutenant Camari Olson and Community Risk Reduction Specialist Heather Wong. Learn simple solutions to keep your family safe this summer and expert tips on how to handle a water emergency.
No More Under: the story, the film, the cause
Chezik Tsunoda has a clear message.
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“Water is everywhere. It’s something we all take for granted, but drowning is the number one reason children under age 4 die,” she says. “And it’s completely preventable. For kids 15 to 19 years old, it’s the number two reason.”
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These statistics are unforgettable for her and husband, Kudo Tsunoda. On August 18, 2018, their family lost the third of their four boys, Yori, to a drowning accident. It happened within minutes at a small gathering at a friend’s house. He was three years old.
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“This should not be the number one reason we lose our youngest kids,” Read more…
The Points Living
Paige Green sat down with Chezik Tsunoda and Sarah Oeltjen to talk about No More Under, a non-profit organization based in Bellevue, Washington, that focuses on water safety, awareness, and drowning prevention.
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Read the entire article, printed in The Points Living HERE.