A mother whose teenage son drowned after swimming in a reservoir during hot weather nearly two decades ago has issued a heartfelt plea for families to understand the dangers of open water. Maxine Johnson's son, Reuben Morgan, was just 15 when he tragically died on 17 June 2006, after encountering difficulties while swimming with friends at Pontsticill Reservoir near Merthyr Tydfil.
As parts of Wales and the wider UK experience periods of hot weather, Ms Johnson is urging parents to engage in conversations with their children about the significant risks associated with swimming in open water, specifically highlighting the phenomenon of cold water shock. "If that can happen to him, it can happen to anybody," stated Johnson, who actively campaigns to raise awareness about water safety in schools and various community groups.
Reuben, described as a "super fit" teenager who played rugby and regularly visited the gym, was camping with friends when they decided to swim across the reservoir. It was during this swim, almost across, that he experienced cold water shock. His friends attempted to help, but Reuben, realising he was pulling one friend down, urged him to go on. The boys reached the shore, only to look back and discover Reuben had disappeared. A major search operation ensued, but it took three days for specialist teams to recover his body from the deep, murky waters.
At the time of the tragedy, Ms Johnson explained that neither her family nor Reuben's friends fully comprehended the dangers of cold water shock. "None of us would have known about cold water shock," she said. She also pointed out the common misconception that open water becomes warm during hot spells, noting that UK waters take a considerable time to warm up. The diving team involved in the search confirmed the reservoir was "really, really cold" on the day Reuben died.
Statistics from the National Water Safety Forum reveal a concerning trend, with 202 accidental water-related fatalities recorded across the UK in 2025. A stark 85% of these victims were male, although the forum acknowledges that the true figure could be higher due to unrecorded or inconclusive cases. Public Health Wales has reiterated crucial water safety advice, which includes not swimming alone, avoiding jumping into open water, supervising children closely, choosing lifeguarded locations, and avoiding alcohol before entering water. They also promote the 'Float to Live' advice for those who find themselves in difficulty.
For nearly 20 years, Ms Johnson has dedicated herself to campaigning for greater awareness of water safety, delivering talks to schools and community groups about the inherent dangers of swimming in reservoirs, rivers, and lakes. She expressed deep concern over recent reports of drownings across the UK, anticipating that more incidents may occur with continued hot weather. She stressed that many parents, often unknowingly, permit their children to enter open water, not fully grasping the persistent danger. "It's heartbreaking for me and the family when we know that children and young people are still going out there into open water," she concluded, driven by a passion to prevent other families from enduring similar heartbreak.