(WXYZ) — The swimming lake at the Monroe Co./Toledo North KOA Holiday Campground permanently closed Wednesday.
The KOA campground staff released a statement on their website and social media pages saying they will begin issuing full refunds for any visitors with reservations now through September 4th that now wish to cancel.
While the campground was not specific in their statement about the reason they closed the swimming lake, the decision comes after at least two drownings on the lake in the last year.
In July of 2022, 15-year-old Jaylen Christopher Hill from Detroit died while swimming at the campground. Just one week ago another teen died while swimming on the lake. Family members identified that 18-year-old as Anthony Shores Jr. of Pickerington, Ohio.
"They always had an annual sacrifice, it seems like, every single year. That annual sacrifice is gone now. So people can go there and not have to worry about it," said Parent Dave Snook.
Snook says he has been advocating for safety changes at the KOA swimming lake for two years after his own son Andy almost drowned on the lake.
"It was Friday at 5 o'clock and we were at home, normal Friday afternoon and my phone kept ringing. It was a number from Ohio," said Snook as he recalled the day the accident happened in June 2021. "As soon as I picked it up, the first words out of that person's mouth was 'Is this Andy’s dad?'. Still tough."
Snook says his then 13-year-old son went with a friend to have fun at the campground. He says to his and his wife's understanding, Andy went into the water that afternoon and didn't come back up. Snook says Andy spent 20 minutes under the water before he was pulled out by first responders. While the teen survived, he would spend the next 9 months in the hospital and his family says his life was forever altered by the incident.
"He's in. unfortunately, what we like to call a vegetative state," explained Snook. "He has yet to emerge and fully wake up from his accident. He’s on a (tracheal tube), he’s still on a ventilator. He can communicate. He can open his eyes. He can use some of his limbs."
Snook says after becoming vocal on social media about what happened to his son at the swimming lake, he began hearing stories from other families who alleged witnessing near drownings or fatal drownings at the KOA swimming lake over the years. He says he vowed to raise awareness about what he believes are dangers on the swimming lake and began pushing the campground to make safety improvements.
The Snook Family started using the hashtag #Fight57 to spread awareness on social media. They say the hashtag incorporates Andy's football number. Before his accident, he was set to begin practicing with his future high school team.
Snook says he was relieved when the KOA campground announced the closure of the swimming lake Wednesday. He says he's hopeful, the decision will result in lives saved but it won't undo the tragedies that have already taken place.
"Myself, my wife, him, and our two older kids: 5 lives were changed forever. Unfortunately, we don’t know if he’ll ever get back to how he was before but we’re accepting what (Andy) is now and we’re grateful for the miracle that he is," said Snook. "What we did, whether it was me or whoever made a difference and that’s what it’s all about - making a difference and helping prevent somebody else from doing it again."
7 Action News reached out to the Monroe Co./Toledo North KOA Holiday Campground for an interview Wednesday afternoon but did not hear back.
