South Gwinnett News

An Atlanta mother is pushing for legislation designed to prevent the type of heat stroke that took the life of her son during football practice in 2016.

State Rep. William Boddie (D-Douglas) introduced a bill in 2019 that would require all parks and recreation centers to have a portable cooling tub on hand, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. The tub should be large enough to fill with ice and water in case a player of any size collapses or shows signs of heat stroke, FOX 5 said. The measure has been at the committee level for a few years.

Michelle Wright, the mother of the child who died, made a plea on Monday, asking a House subcommittee to back the bill and push it forward.

"I'm not only asking for him; I’m asking for the other kids that are playing sports out here too," Wright said to the committee.

Johnny Tolbert was 12 years old in July 2016 when he collapsed at Welcome All Park in South Fulton County. The incident occurred during a recreation league football practice, according to FOX 5. It was a hot day, with a 93-degree temperature and 36% humidity. Attorney Harold Spence expressed confidence that Tolbert's chance for survival would have been higher if a tub of cold water had been available to cool down his body temperature, FOX 5 said.

Wright previously testified before a House subcommittee on the issue. In the past, there has been opposition from individuals who believe more comprehensive measures are in order, and that more than a tub is needed to address the problem of heat stroke. Others have pointed to issues of cost, logistics, training, and sanitation, according to FOX 5.