May is National Water Safety Month and we’re marking the occasion with a special event highlighting why water safety matters for every family. Join Olympic Gold Medalist Cullen Jones as he shares his powerful journey and learn how water safety and swim skills can save lives and open doors for kids in every community.

Cullen Jones was born in the Bronx and later his family moved to Irvington, New Jersey. At age 5, he nearly drowned at a water park. Following the near-death encounter, his mother enrolled him in swimming lessons and he soon excelled in the pool. Cullen earned a scholarship to North Carolina State University, where he went on to become a four-time ACC champion and an NCAA champion.

In 2008, Cullen qualified for the Beijing Olympics in the 4×100-meter relay, swimming the third leg of the spectacular come-from-behind race. This cemented Cullen’s place in Olympic history, as he became the first African American male swimmer to set a world record in the sport. In July 2009, Cullen established an American record at the time in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 21.40 seconds. In the 2012 London Olympics, Cullen added to his medal count with a gold and two silvers, including a silver medal in his specialty, the 50-meter freestyle.