Bode Miller Advocating Water Safety 7 Years After Daughter’s Tragic Drowning

Miller’s daughter passed away in July 2018 following an accidental drowning.

Bode Miller attends the red carpet for Fox's "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sept. 12, 2023. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Seven years after the sudden loss of his 19-month-old daughter, Olympic gold medalist Bode Miller continues to channel his grief into advocacy, aiming to raise awareness about childhood drowning and pool safety.

Speaking with Us Weekly, Miller reflected on how he and his family have coped since the July 2018 death of his daughter, Emmy, who drowned in a neighbor’s backyard pool in Coto de Caza, California.

“I don’t think it really necessarily heals, or it doesn’t really go away. It just normalizes to a degree,” Miller said. “It definitely is important, and it’s a way of honoring her as well—her sort of loss or sacrifices to try to prevent it from happening more.”

Since Emmy’s passing, Miller and his wife, Morgan, have emerged as public advocates for water safety. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of accidental death among children under the age of four—a fact Miller says he was unaware of before the tragedy.

“After losing a child, there are things I wish I’d known before,” he told the outlet. “Partly to honor [Emmy] … it makes me feel compelled to share it with people so that they have the information.”

Miller expressed frustration that pool safety had never been addressed in pediatrician visits prior to the incident. “The fact that the conversation had never come up … was really frustrating after the tragedy,” he said. He now encourages parents to build a “culture of respect and awareness” around water while still allowing children to enjoy it.

In December 2018, just five months after Emmy’s death, the Miller family honored her memory during Christmas by posing for family photos while holding her portrait. Morgan shared the moment in a reflective Instagram post, writing, “Merry Christmas to our baby girl in heaven. We miss you so much!”

“2018 has been a year full of overwhelming sadness and overwhelming joy. We have spent half of the year mourning and attempting to heal the loss of our angel which feels like an impossible battle all while celebrating the birth of our son,” she continued. “Seeking normalcy for our children has been our driving force forward.”

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Miller released a statement on social media expressing the depth of their family’s sorrow. “Never in a million years did we think we would experience a pain like this,” he wrote. “Her love, her light, her spirit will never be forgotten. Our little girl loved life and lived it to its fullest everyday. Our family respectfully requests privacy during this painful time.”