We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Madison Marchegiano . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Madison below.
Hi Madison , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
In March 2010, two-year-old Colt Walker Catalina tragically drowned while in the care of a relative. When Colt passed away, his death hit me hard, changed my life in so many ways, and left a hole in my heart. He was the cutest, blonde-haired, blue-eyed baby boy I’d ever known. I have so many fond memories of him and miss him every day, especially his winning smile. For years, I’ve had to watch Colt’s family suffer the unimaginable. There is nothing more painful than watching a family go through the loss of a child. Colt is why I fight so hard and will continue to for the rest of my life. I will continue to be a voice for him. I knew I needed to do something to prevent this tragedy from happening to another family.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1-4. In 2010, I lost Colt Walker Catalina, a family friend to a tragic drowning accident at the age of 2. Colt is the reason I decided to become an Infant Aquatic Survival® Specialist. Colt’s Legacy Infant Aquatics LLC was founded in 2022 in honor of Colt Walker Catalina. Back in 2010, we had no idea survival swim lessons existed. I know without a doubt if Colt would have had these lessons, he would be here today. His story has inspired me to prevent this tragedy from happening to another family. No parent should ever lose a child.
I’m dedicated to teaching infants and young children ages 6 months through 6 years the survival swimming skills needed to enjoy the water safely. I have over 100 hours of in-water training and education in child development and behavior. Combining years of experience and educational background with the physics of swimming, Infant Aquatics® has developed and conducted the safest and most comprehensive baby swimming lessons possible.
I want every child to learn the life-saving skills they need to survive in the event of an aquatic emergency. I wake up every single day hoping that I’m making a difference and saving lives in Colt’s name. This is my passion. I’ve committed my life to raising awareness for drowning prevention and water safety. All because of Colt, he is my WHY. I hope one day to put an end to childhood drownings and have every parent out there enroll their child in survival swim lessons.
Drowning is not brought to immediate attention and I want to change that. I want Colt’s legacy to continue forever and for every child I teach, I do it for him. If I can save just one child’s life, that would be the biggest blessing. I don’t want to see another family lose a child to something so preventable. I would do anything to bring Colt back. He is terribly and painfully missed.
For more information on the Infant Aquatics® program and to find an instructor near you, visit https://infantaquatics.com.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, I believe that three of the most impactful qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge in my journey are determination, time, and to never give up. You can do anything you put your mind to. For those just starting their journey, stay determined, be open to new experiences, and step out of your comfort zone.
My advice is to take your time and focus on one area. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Do it step by step. As far as discipline goes, don’t tackle too many things at once. Set achievable goals. This will help you create habits and make things easier.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I would love to partner with celebrities to help get the word out about childhood drownings and survival swim lessons. I’m not asking for any monetary donations, just connecting with those on social media to share the foundation and its mission in the hopes of preventing this tragedy from happening to another family. In doing so, it will hopefully garner donations for life-saving survival swim scholarships for those in need in honor of Colt.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://coltslegacyinfanta.wixsite.com/colt-s-legacy-infant
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coltslegacyinfantaquatics/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coltslegacyinfantaquatics/
Image Credits
Madison Marchegiano
