On June 26th, 2010, nine-year-old Fajr Javid drowned during a family camping trip in Connecticut. Fajr was an intelligent and caring young girl whose life was cut short by a tragic accident. Her thoughtfulness and generosity had no limits. Her final act of kindness was to give away her life jacket to another young camper, saying:
"You need this more than me."
Fajr's dream was to become a pediatrician because she loved children. In her honor, Fajr's loved ones established the Fajr Memorial Foundation in August 2011, united by a shared goal: to prevent another family from suffering the same devastating loss.
Fajr Memorial Foundation has the central objective to ensure that no other young life is lost due to drowning. The statistics are sobering: ✅ Drowning is a leading cause of death every year in the United States. ✅ In New York State, drowning is the #1 cause of unintentional death in children under 5 years old. ✅ Drowning is the #2 cause of death in children ages 5–14. ✅ 6 out of 9 minority children who die from drowning belong to minority communities. ✅ Approximately 760 children die each year as a result of unintentional drowning.
Fajr Memorial Foundation seeks to change these statistics. The Foundation strives to break racial, religious, and financial barriers - ensuring all people can learn to swim and understand how to protect children around water. FMF provides educational materials for parents, information seminars at local schools, and water safety and drowning prevention programming for all ages.
