Teen's Memorial Life Ring Saves Driver in Florida Lake Crash

A life preserver installed to honor a heroic teenager saved a woman's life this week when her car crashed into a lake in Plantation, Florida.

The driver misjudged a turn Monday morning near Northwest 55th Avenue and collided with another vehicle. Her car careened through bushes and plunged into the water.

The other driver immediately jumped into the lake to help. Bystanders quickly spotted a life ring mounted nearby and threw it to the struggling pair in the water.

That life ring was no ordinary safety device. It's part of a memorial to Aden Perry, a teenager who tragically drowned in 2022 while trying to rescue someone from a submerged car at a lake in Sunrise.

Aden's mother, Sarah Perry, created the Aden Perry Hero Life Ring organization after her son's death. Her mission is simple but powerful: place life rings at bodies of water so people have the tools they need during water emergencies.

"That night there was nothing available," Sarah explained. "So in his honor, I created the Aden Perry hero life ring to get life rings like this in bodies of water."

Her vision worked exactly as intended. "This is a perfect example: a good Samaritan saw this, reacted, used a life ring, and we saved a life," she said.

Plantation Fire Rescue crews arrived quickly and confirmed everyone was safe. The driver walked away without injuries, and crews pulled the submerged car from the water.

Sunny's Take

Sarah Perry turned unimaginable grief into a mission that's now saving lives. Her son died trying to help someone in desperate need, and through her organization, his heroic spirit continues protecting others.

Every life ring she installs carries Aden's legacy forward. Each one represents a mother's love transformed into action, ensuring other families don't face the same tragedy hers did.

"Everywhere there is a body of water, there is a potential for a water emergency," Sarah said. Monday morning in Plantation proved her right and showed that sometimes the most meaningful memorials are the ones that keep giving back.

One teenager's courage is now multiplied across Florida, ready to help whenever the next emergency strikes.