Renfrewshire family of boy who drowned beg people to stay safe around water

Jayne and Sharon Drennan are calling for more education around the dangers of deep open water on World Drowning Prevention Day.

Author: Callum McQuadePublished 25th Jul 2023

The devastated mother and aunt of a Renfrewshire boy who lost his life while swimming are begging people to stay safe around deep open water.

William McNally died on June 5, 2021 after getting into difficulty at an area known as the Clay Pits in the River Gryffe, near Linwood.

He passed away just a few days later - despite the rescue attempts of his friends and the emergency services.

Jayne Drennan, William’s aunt, and her sisters have campaigned since he died to raise awareness of water safety but are still struggling to come to terms with their loss.

She said: “We continue to struggle knowing that he is gone, and we won’t be able to see him again. Coping feels impossible on some days.

"Others are slightly more bearable but all in all, it’s a real living nightmare.

“Our lives have been changed forever."

William and his mum Sharon.

"Things wont and can’t ever be the same again and William’s loss has left a hole in our lives that cannot be filled.

“It sounds like a cliché but there isn’t a minute of the day that we don’t think about William, he is my first thought in the morning and last thought at night.

“There are a lot of whys? And what ifs? which is exceptionally painful and difficult to manoeuvre, both individually and as a family, so we are essentially just trying to get through the days and trying to maintain some sort of ‘normal’ for the children in the family."

The family worked hard to install a water safety station, fitted with life-saving equipment in case of an emergency.

The stations are fitted with codes which allow for GPS technology if 999 crews are required.

Today (25 July) marks World Drowning Prevention Day and buildings across Renfrewshire will be lit up in blue to remember William and all others who have lost their lives in drowning accidents and seeing this in his memory is something that gives Jayne great comfort.




“It’s extremely important we remember William as a person as he was an amazing young boy in life and equally as amazing in death.

“We will all love and remember William forever, as will the people and families whose lives he saved by donating his organs – a decision that was his even at such a young age.

“Even though we have lost him from our lives, his legacy lives on in others and we are extremely proud of our boy."

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