“He was full of laughter and hugs and would scream with joy whenever he heard the theme song for The Simpsons or the opening sequence on Pixar movies,” his mother Jo-ann said.

Parents Jo-ann and Michael Morris have five precious minutes of home video of their son as they remember him, reading a book and playing with his two older sisters.

Now 7, Samuel spends his time in and out of the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and bound to his wheelchair.

Doctors don’t expect him to see his 20s.

All because he found his way into the family’s swimming pool and nearly drowned in 2006.

No one had noticed the broken panel in the pool fence before Samuel did.

His brain was starved of oxygen long enough to cause serious health and developmental problems and every day is now a battle for the family.

His older sister Taylor, 10, still suffers posttraumatic- stress syndrome from witnessing the event and it’s so severe she can’t go to school.

“Seeing Samuel fight so hard against everything that’s been thrown at him is the inspiration for us all to keep going and spread the message of safety,” Michael said.

In the lead-up to summer, the Samuel Morris Foundation, set up by Michael and Jo-ann, has teamed up with the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and the Swimming Pool and Spa Association of NSW to promote a new online video for owners of swimming pools to tell them how to ensure their pools are safe.

BE SAFE:

■ Watch the online video about ensuring your pool

complies at chw.edu.au/kidshealth/pool_fencin g;

■ Check your fence for faults, breaks and compliance;

■ Ensure children can’t drag objects to climb the fence and that the gate self-latches;

■ Warn children of the dangers of drowning;

■ Enrol them in swimming classes;

■ A fence is never enough, always supervise children around water; and

■ Penalties of up to $5500 apply for non-compliant fencing.

FAST FACTS:

There were 15 admissions to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead for drownings or near-drownings this year, more than any 12-month period in the past eight years.

For every drowning there are six near-drownings of which one in four results in a severe disability for life.