What started as an exciting summer adventure for young Michael Stewart ended in tragedy. This incident has raised serious concerns about the camp’s safety measures and has led to a full investigation.
On Monday, at Liberty Lake Day Camp in Burlington County, New Jersey, six-year-old Michael Jeffrey Stewart drowned on his very first day of camp. This heartbreaking news has left Michael’s family in deep grief and has shocked the whole community.
Michael’s mother, Enjoli Stewart, shared her deep sadness and frustration with the camp. “Liberty Lakes messed up. Big time. And now I don’t have a son anymore. That’s heartbreaking,” she told FOX 29.
Michael had been looking forward to his first day at the camp, not knowing it would be his last. He was set to attend the camp for several weeks, and Enjoli had spent thousands of dollars to ensure he had the best experience. She said:
“I did everything I could to make sure he was placed in the right school and the right camp.”
The incident happened during the afternoon swim period for campers who were entering first and second grades.
Camp officials reported that a lifeguard found Michael unresponsive in a shallow pool. The lifeguard quickly pulled him out of the water and tried to perform CPR.
Despite the attempts to save him, Michael was pronounced dead at a local hospital later that day.
Michael’s life was a fight from the beginning. Born as a micro-preemie at just 23 weeks and weighing only one pound and three ounces, doctors had not expected him to survive.
Despite the odds, Michael defied expectations with his mother’s relentless advocacy and unwavering faith. He grew into a bright, loving, and caring boy whose resilience and passion for learning won the hearts of everyone who knew him.
“Michael taught me how to fight and he taught me to fight without using my hands,” Enjoli said. “He taught me how to fight in a different manner.”
Michael was especially close to his younger sister, Layla. They enjoyed playing basketball and baseball together. Enjoli described her son as “extremely smart,” with an impressive vocabulary.
Enjoli described Michael as a curious child who loved learning new things. He was excited about starting piano classes, which were next on his summer to-do list.
Liberty Lake Day Camp, which had just opened for the summer on the day of the incident, expressed their sorrow in a statement.
Camp founder Andy Pritikin wrote, “All of us at Liberty Lake Day Camp are devastated and grieving over the tragic passing of our young camper. This senseless tragedy took a life that was far too young. There are no words that feel appropriate enough to capture our heartache and mourning.”
Michael’s mother was talking to a coworker about her son’s excitement for the camp when she received the heartbreaking news.
“Someone asked me how my day was going, and I told them about Michael and how he fell asleep the night before with his goggles on,” she said. “He was so excited about swimming, and then my phone rang. I was told I needed to rush to Mount Holly-Virtua.”
The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and Mansfield Township police are investigating the incident. An autopsy was conducted on Tuesday by the Burlington County medical examiner.
Enjoli has raised concerns about the camp’s safety protocols. She noted that Michael, a beginner swimmer, was supposed to be in an instructional swim class, but it did not take place.
She also pointed out that Michael was assigned a one-on-one aide who was meant to be with him at all times. However, that aide is still employed at the camp.
Pritikin acknowledged that typically, staff members do not conduct instructional swim classes on the first day of camp.
The camp employs 25 lifeguards certified in first aid, CPR, and the use of AEDs, as well as three registered nurses.
Despite these measures, Enjoli believes more should have been done to prevent her son’s death. She suggested that, out of respect for her family, the camp should have closed the pool for 24 to 48 hours following the incident.
However, Pritikin stated that experts advised continuing camp activities, emphasizing that the safety and well-being of campers and staff are their top priorities.
Michael was a rising first-grade student in the Lumberton School District. The district released a statement expressing their deepest condolences to the Stewart family.
In support of the family, a lemonade stand fundraiser will be held at the Old Fire House on Main Street in Lumberton on Saturday. This event is especially meaningful because Michael loved making lemonade and hosting lemonade stands in his neighborhood.
Additionally, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the Stewart family with funeral and memorial expenses. The campaign highlights Michael’s remarkable journey, from his premature birth to his joyful life.
Michael was a rising first-grade student in the Lumberton School District. The district released a statement offering their deepest condolences to the Stewart family.
To support the family, a lemonade stand fundraiser will be held at the Old Fire House on Main Street in Lumberton on Saturday. This event is especially meaningful because Michael loved making lemonade and hosting lemonade stands in his neighborhood.
Additionally, a GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the Stewart family with funeral and memorial expenses. The campaign highlights Michael’s remarkable journey from his premature birth to his joyful life.
The campaign organizer shared how doctors initially gave Michael little chance of survival. “Michael’s mother refused to believe that, and with every ounce of her strength, advocacy, and faith, fought for his life,” the campaign states.
Seeing Michael grow into a wonderful little boy filled Enjoli’s heart with joy. Unfortunately, that joy was cut short. Michael is remembered for his kindness and his heart of gold.
Not only was Michael a loving presence for his mother and younger sister, but he also touched the lives of everyone around him.
“The family is in need of a lot of support at this time, as you can imagine,” the GoFundMe campaign states. “We are asking for your help in raising money for Michael Jeffrey and his family so that he can be given the funeral and memorial services that he deserves to honor his life. Anything you can give to the family is much appreciated.”
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The update also mentioned another GoFundMe campaign started by Lumberton Township in response to the tragedy.
The Stewart family expressed their gratitude for this additional support and encouraged people to contribute to any of the fundraising campaigns.
In response to the incident, Liberty Lake Day Camp has made its clinical social worker available for counseling to those affected. The camp has also pledged to continue its summer program with a heightened emphasis on safety measures.
5 FAMOUS STARS WHO KEEP THEIR KIDS HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC – FIND OUT WHO
5 FAMOUS STARS WHO KEEP THEIR KIDS HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC – FIND OUT
Jamie Lee Curtis, Robert De Niro, Kate Hudson, and two other celebrities have children who prefer to stay out of the spotlight. These children rarely make public appearances, but a few photos of them exist.
While some famous parents enjoy sharing their children’s lives with the world, others have kids who like to keep things private. For example, Robert De Niro has biracial twin sons that many people don’t even know about. These kids prefer to stay out of the public eye, keeping their lives low-key. Here’s what we know about these rarely-seen celebrity children.
ROBERT DE NIRO’S LITTLE-KNOWN BIRACIAL TWIN SONS, JULIAN AND AARON
Robert De Niro, one of the most iconic actors, is a proud father of seven children: Drena, Raphael, Aaron, Julian, Elliot, Helen, and Gia. In 1976, he married singer Diahnne Abbott, and they had their first son, Raphael.
Though De Niro is a well-known figure, his twin sons, Julian and Aaron, have managed to stay out of the spotlight for most of their lives.
Robert De Niro shared a sweet moment with his wife, Diahnne Abbott, on the set of the film *New York, New York* during a location shoot in Los Angeles on April 26, 1977. Abbott had a daughter, Drena, from a previous relationship, and De Niro adopted her before the couple separated in 1988.
In the mid-1990s, De Niro began dating African-American model Toukie Smith. Though the pair never married, they welcomed twin boys, Julian Kendrick and Aaron Henry, in October 1995 through in vitro fertilization (IVF) and surrogacy. Despite their famous father, Julian and Aaron have remained largely out of the spotlight.
Julian and Aaron, who turned 28 in March 2023, prefer to keep their lives private. Although they have attended red-carpet events with their parents as both children and adults, they generally stay out of the public eye and lead quiet lives.
When asked about his kids, De Niro expressed his love for them, saying, “I love my children, just being with them. [But] It’s not easy. When you have the good moments [though], you forget about the ones that weren’t good.” Despite the challenges, De Niro cherishes the time he spends with his children.
Luna García is one of Rossy de Palma’s two children. Rossy de Palma, a Spanish actress, was discovered in 1986 by famed director Pedro Almodóvar at a café in Madrid. She quickly became a recognizable face in Almodóvar’s films, appearing in iconic movies like *Law of Desire* (1987) and *Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown* (1988).
Despite her fame, Rossy has kept her family life relatively private, and her children, including Luna, are rarely seen in public.
At the start of her acting career, Rossy de Palma faced harsh criticism from her home country’s top newspaper, being labeled as “ugly and strange.” Known for her unique look, de Palma has asymmetrical eyes and a prominent nose—her left eye is green, while her right is brighter and rounder.
Despite the comments about her appearance, Rossy embraced her distinctive features and made a bold statement in a 1994 interview, when she was 29. She confidently said, “Perhaps I’m very pretty to some people and very ugly for others. But that’s their problem, not mine.”
KATE HUDSON’S SON, RYDER, PREFERS STAYING OUT OF THE LIMELIGHT
Kate Hudson became a mother at 23 when she welcomed her son, Ryder Russell, with her ex-husband, Chris Robinson. During an interview on “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” Hudson joked about feeling like a “teen mom” after Ryder was born. She explained that becoming a mom at such a young age made her feel like she was figuring out motherhood while still growing up herself.
Despite her early start, Hudson has embraced motherhood, raising Ryder while continuing her successful acting career.
During the interview, Kate Hudson joked about feeling like she was 12 when she had Ryder, stating that in Hollywood, having a child at 23 seemed early. Along with Ryder, Hudson is also the mother of Bingham, from her relationship with ex-fiancé Matt Bellamy, and Rani Rose, her daughter with current fiancé Danny Fujikawa.
Balancing motherhood with her career and business ventures has been tough, but Hudson has managed it with help from her older children, especially Ryder. The family lives in the same house Hudson grew up in, which her mom, Goldie Hawn, and Kurt Russell bought in the 1970s. Hudson later purchased the house in 2015, combining it with a neighboring property to create a larger home.
Hudson shares a special bond with Ryder, who is now a young adult. She mentioned that having Ryder at 23 shaped their close relationship, although she still emphasizes good manners and gratitude. Despite being a “wild mum,” she and Ryder are very close, and he often shows love by doing things like making her breakfast in bed and caring for his siblings.
In September 2022, Ryder left for college on the East Coast, marking a big change for Hudson. She helped him shop for essentials and shared their preparations with her fans, calling him a “minimalist” when he refused to buy extra things. Though his departure was emotional, Hudson is proud and excited for his future.
Although it’s been hard to adjust to Ryder being away, Hudson stays in touch with him regularly, and they’ve already had emotional moments over the phone. As time goes on, they’re both committed to maintaining their bond, proving that distance only strengthens their connection.
JAMIE LEE CURTIS’ SECOND CHILD, RUBY, TRANSITIONED FROM A MAN TO A WOMAN
“Perfect” actress Jamie Lee Curtis always dreamed of having kids. After marrying her husband, comedy director Christopher Guest, the couple faced years of heartbreak as they struggled with infertility. Despite trying, they couldn’t conceive, which led them to explore other ways to grow their family. Eventually, they decided to adopt, and Curtis has often spoken about how this experience shaped her perspective on motherhood and family.
After trying everything and not succeeding, Jamie Lee Curtis and her husband, Christopher Guest, chose to adopt. Curtis shared that adoption was their path to becoming a complete family because they felt something was missing until they had a child.
Just two years into their marriage, Curtis and Guest welcomed their daughter through an open adoption in 1986, right after her birth. While they had planned to adopt Annie, their second child, Ruby (formerly Thomas), came unexpectedly.
VAL KILMER IS SUPER CLOSE TO HIS DAUGHTER, MERCEDES
American actor Val Kilmer became a Hollywood star with his role as Tom Kazansky in the 1986 film *Top Gun*. He is also well-known for his performances in other popular films such as *Tombstone*, *Batman Forever*, and *Heat*.
Val Kilmer and his wife, Joanne Whalley, got married in 1988 after meeting on the set of the movie *Willow*. They also worked together in *Kill Me Again* a year after their marriage. In 1991, they welcomed their daughter, Mercedes, and then their son, Jack, was born in 1995. Although Kilmer and Whalley divorced in 1995, they stayed on good terms and continued to work together. Their love and commitment to their children remained strong despite the end of their marriage.
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