Nationwide — Zaniriusz Chambers, Jr., a 7-year-old African American boy from Wichita, Kansas, died days after being pulled from a hotel pool on May 1st. He was hospitalized in critical condition but passed away nearly a week later.Known as “ZJ” to his family, Zaniriusz was swimming at the Red Roof PLUS+ in east Wichita when he went underwater. His mother, Lauren Hill-Wilson, was notified by police shortly after the incident.
“My heart just stopped, and he said, ‘I’m calling about your child that drowned,’” she told WVLT TV. “A drowning at a rooftop, and I was just confused because I was like, how did my child get there?”
At the time, Zaniriusz had been at the pool with adult relatives and other children. Emergency responders rushed him to the hospital, where he was placed on life support. Doctors told the family his chances were low, but Hill-Wilson clung to hope.
“Only thing I could do was, like, try to get to him,” Hill-Wilson said. “I just wanted to hear my baby say he was OK, and then seeing him hooked up to the machines, breathing and stuff.”
Despite efforts to save him, Zaniriusz died several days later in the hospital.
The family had set up a GoFundMe page to support his medical care, but the funds will now go toward his funeral costs.
Hill-Wilson described her son as a kind and loving child who enjoyed being with his siblings and relatives. She also urged other parents to stay vigilant.
“Hold your kids tight, and fight for them, and watch the ones you trust,” she said. “Always hold your kids tight, tell ‘em you love ‘em, because you don’t know when you gonna ever tell ‘em that again.”