A Calgary family is raising awareness about water safety as their son fights to recover from a near drowning during a family vacation in B.C. On Aug. 3, nine-year-old Paul-Angelo Warren, who goes by Angie, was swimming in the Shuswap River in W.J. Tuey Regional Park near Enderby when he was swept under the surface and trapped by driftwood. RCMP say he remained trapped underwater for five to 10 minutes before he was rescued. “Seeing your son like that, I don’t have any words to say,” said Angie’s mother, Maria Warren, who said it was a miracle her youngest son is alive after the ordeal. “We don’t wish this on anyone, what we’re going through,” said Angie’s father, Matthew Warren, from B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, where Angie remains in a medically induced coma. Angie’s parents say he often swims in Calgary’s rivers and was only in waist-deep water in B.C. when he was swept under. His mother was calling him back when she saw it happen. “Blink of the eyes, just drowned, like very quick,” said his mother. She called for help, and people nearby quickly gathered, using goggles and a kayak to locate him, pull him out and perform life-saving measures. The family is grateful for the group of strangers, which included a doctor and two nurses who had a portable defibrillator. “I’m so thankful to all of them. It’s amazing what they did to my son,” said Warren. The family hopes to raise awareness about water safety. Drowning deaths in British Columbia and Alberta are up compared to this time last year, according to available data. There were five deaths at this point last year and 10 so far in 2026 in Alberta, while B.C. had 26 deaths last year and 38 so far this year. Experts say less than one per cent of deaths happen in swimming pools. “We see the majority of drownings happen in outdoor, unsupervised environments like lakes, ponds and rivers,” said Madison Lalonde, interim managing director of the Lifesaving Society Alberta and Northwest Territories. “They have currents that can take even the strongest swimmers, and often it’s undercurrents that take people.” She added that for every death, there are usually about five or six cases of near drownings. Angie remains in intensive care, but his family says he is showing encouraging signs. “When he wakes up, they ask if he can squeeze my hand, and he did,” said Maria Warren. “When I asked if he needed a hug, he nodded. He wanted to speak but couldn’t because of the tube.” Angie’s parents say doctors are waiting for his lungs to improve before they remove the breathing tube and perform an MRI. The Warrens say they were told their son’s body temperature was 23 degrees Celsius when he was pulled from the water and that the cold may have helped save him. His family is hopeful about his recovery and that sharing their story may help protect others. “Even though our son knows how to swim OK, we took that for granted,” said his father. “It’s a big lesson for everybody,” said his mother. His parents are staying with him in Vancouver and may decide to airlift him back home once he improves. They are not sure how long he will remain in hospital, but doctors have indicated it could be weeks. A friend has started a GoFundMe page to help cover costs.
