After losing her son to a tragic drowning, Kennette Pyles and her husband set up the Ryan Pyles Aquatic Foundation. Kennette has taught survival skills in the area 8 years and has served more than 1,000 infants and young children as a swimming instructor.
“Once my children went through the ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) program I felt that every child and parent should have the opportunity to have access to this type of self-rescue type of swimming,” said Kennette. “Young children do not have the coordination to learn traditional swimming strokes, so this type of swimming allows children to enjoy the water but be safe at the same time.” The ISR is a national program focusing on education of parents and children on aquatic survival and safety.
Darrell Waltrip Hometown Hero for the month of July is Kennette Pyles, in recognition of all she does to save young lives. “I really want her to be a Hometown hero because of her taking a huge negative that happened in her life and turning into a positive,” shared Jamie Putman, a member of DWA’s management team, in his nomination. “I know her as my son Liam’s teacher, but mostly a friend as well… she is selfless…..she was teaching on Christmas Eve!”
“Giving these skills to young children keeps me close to Ryan,” said Kennette. “After starting my second son, George, as a seven month old, he was barely able to crawl, yet within 6 weeks fully dressed he could get in the water, flip over to his back and float patiently while waiting to get out of the water. Both of my children developed a love for Kennette as well as a love for the water, my oldest swimming comfortably at an early age and George beginning to swim as a 20 month old,” said Betsy Sloan, a local mother.
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