Kimberly Brown, the wife of former Brigham Young University football star Curtis Brown, has shared a tribute following the death of their two-year-old son, Haze, who drowned in the family's swimming pool in Clovis, California.
The toddler was spotted unresponsive in the pool on Sunday, July 26, by a family member who called emergency services. First responders received the report at around 8:00 p.m. and arrived at the home to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Rescuers were unable to revive Haze at the scene, and he was declared deceased after being rushed to a local hospital by ambulance. A detective from the Clovis Police Department investigated the scene and determined there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the child's death.
Clovis Police Department spokesman Ty Wood addressed the tragic incident, warning parents about water safety precautions. "It's an extremely unfortunate situation," Wood said. "Adults should never let children swim unsupervised and should always learn CPR and keep safety and rescue equipment nearby."
Mother's Heartbreaking Tribute
Following the tragedy, Kimberly Brown shared the painful reality of her family's adjustment to life without Haze, posting a photo of her smiling son taken before his death.
"I miss my baby. I miss him so much it physically hurts. Our bright light and source of pure joy is gone," she wrote. "I'm writing this from the floor of his room, surrounded by his things. Looking at all the little pieces of him that are still everywhere. His clothes. His basketball hoop. His blanket. All the things that were just part of our everyday life."
She described the ongoing grief of expected moments that will no longer happen. "I keep expecting to hear him. To see those soft curls bouncing as he runs. To hear his little laugh. To squeeze him tight. To kiss his cheeks. To tell him I love him. And then I remember," she said.
"I don't know how you survive this. I don't know how I'm supposed to wake up every morning and live my worst nightmare. I don't know how a heart is supposed to hold this much pain."
Kimberly reflected on the future her son was denied alongside his older brothers and sister. "Haze was supposed to grow up with his brothers and sister. He was supposed to run to them when they got home from school with the biggest hug. Sit on the sidelines and cheer them on. The boys were so excited to teach him everything they knew - to make him better than they were," she wrote.
Reflecting on Lost Moments
"He was supposed to keep making us laugh, dancing around, stealing sips of my Diet Coke, shooting baskets, and making our life better and brighter simply by being him. He was supposed to grow up knowing just how incredibly loved he was," she added.
Rejecting the common comfort offered to grieving parents, Kimberly expressed her desire for a full lifetime with her child. "People say they wish they could have one more day with the person they lost. But I don't want one more day. I want forever. I want every ordinary day we were supposed to have. I want the messy days and the loud days and the hard days and the beautiful days."
"I want to watch him grow up. I want to watch his siblings love him through every stage of his life. I want to hear his laugh when he's 5, 10, 15. I want to watch him become whoever he was meant to be. I want all the days. I want my baby back. I would give anything in this world for the life we were supposed to have."
Family Life and Athletic Career
Haze was the youngest of five children born to Kimberly and Curtis Brown. The couple also has 13-year-old triplets, named Julie, Cruze, and Kash, as well as a 12-year-old son named Trey.
Curtis Brown was a star running back for the Brigham Young University Cougars football team in Provo, Utah, playing from 2002 to 2006. During his college career, he set the school record for total rushing yards with 3,221 yards. His record was later broken by Harvey Unga and subsequently by Jamaal Williams.
After going undrafted in the 2007 National Football League (NFL) Draft, Brown signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. He appeared in four preseason games for the franchise but did not secure a place on the final 53-man roster, bringing an end to his professional football career. He currently works in pharmaceutical sales in Clovis, a city located in Fresno County, California.
Following the drowning accident, a GoFundMe online crowdfunding campaign was established to support the Brown family during their grief. The fundraiser has raised $101,490 at the time of reporting.
