MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — A Menomonee Falls family lost their 11-year-old little boy in a drowning accident. It happened at a birthday party. As the family grieves, they also have so many questions as to how it happened.
Michael Hudziak was supposed to be enjoying the last weeks of summer before he started middle school. Instead, the family says they had to take him off life support at Children’s Hospital and say goodbye.
Michael Hudziak's family is reflecting on memories today. That's how his aunt Kelly explained to Michael's 5-year-old brother, Matthew, that they would keep Michael with them.
Watch: Family grieves 11-year-old Menomonee Falls boy who drowned at a birthday party:
"I told him one of the greatest gifts God ever gave us as a human is the memory. Because as long as we hold on to the memories they are with us forever,” said Kelly.
She was Michael's great aunt, but more like a Grandmother. She took on that role when her sister, Michael’s grandmother passed away. Aunt Kelly and Michael had a special bond even though she lived in Michigan and Michael was in Menomonee Falls. They talked regularly over FaceTime.
"We would stay on for hours. He just loved knowing that I was watching him. He'd love to dance like I said, or I'd watch him play his video games. We’d also play games like would you rather,” said Kelly.
She says Michael's other passion was swimming. He was very excited to go to a birthday party last Saturday with a pool. She says the water wasn't over Michael's head and he was a strong swimmer. She was told the kids might have been playing some sort of game in the pool, but she doesn't understand how no one noticed Michael was in trouble.
"The kids were getting out of the pool, and one of the girls looked back and saw him underwater and that's when he was discovered,” said Kelly.
They don't know how long Michael was under. He was rushed to Children's Hospital where they put him on life support. He died 5 days later.
"I want answers for Michael,” said Kelly. “There is just no title for someone who loses their own child, you know. It just leaves a hole. You are left with a hole.”
The family has hired a lawyer in hopes of getting more of those answers. The family also has a GoFundMeto pay for Michael's medical expenses and now funeral costs.
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