Kairon was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. To combat his symptoms of aggression, fidgeting, impulsivity, and irritability, his mother signed him up for the Thelma Lovette YMCA swim team in 2014. Swimming has improved Kairon’s life in more ways than he or his mother could have ever imagined.
Today, Kairon says that because of his involvement with the Y swim team, he feels as though he truly belongs somewhere and he can focus better; he doesn’t even need to take his ADHD medication anymore. Kairon was the fastest 16-year-old swimmer in the state of Pennsylvania last year, but he doesn’t just swim to better himself, he also helps other kids in the neighborhood improve their skills.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans are up to 10 times more likely to drown in a swimming pool than their white counterparts. Kairon combats that statistic by lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons as a way to give back to the younger kids. He says “They look up to me, I want to be a leader for them because if I can do it, they can too.”