A Season of Success
In late July 1985, the New Orleans Recreation Department hosted a party at one of its pools to celebrate a successful summer without any drowning incidents. Approximately 200 people attended, over half of whom were certified lifeguards. Four lifeguards were on duty during the event.
A Shocking Discovery
As the party concluded, the on-duty lifeguards began clearing the pool. To their horror, they discovered the fully clothed body of 31-year-old Jerome Moody at the bottom of the deep end. Moody was not a lifeguard and had not been swimming during the event. Despite immediate attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead.
An Ironic Tragedy
The gathering was intended to commemorate a drowning-free season, making the incident particularly poignant. An autopsy confirmed that Moody had drowned. The circumstances of how he ended up in the pool remain unclear.
In July 1985, a lifeguards' party in New Orleans turned tragic. The celebration, held to mark a summer with no drownings, ended in shock when the body of Jerome Moody, a non-swimmer, was discovered in the pool, surrounded by hundreds of lifeguards and partygoers.🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/bgU3ABDrMI
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) January 26, 2025