By Diona Young
Some safety lessons are learned in a classroom. Others arrive in an instant.
On October 15, 2023, Briar, then a freshman in high school, headed out on the water with her father and sister aboard a small catamaran. It was a beautiful day for sailing, and the forecast looked clear. Like so many family sailing days, there was no reason to think anything unusual would happen.
But as they made their way back in, a sudden gust of wind changed everything.
The boat flipped. In the chaos, the mast struck Briar and knocked her away from the boat. By the time she surfaced, the catamaran was already out of reach.
She was alone in open water.
And for more than an hour, she waited to be found.
Stories like Briar’s are a sobering reminder that even experienced boaters can find themselves in an emergency within seconds. Conditions can change quickly. Equipment can fail. A simple day sail can become a survival situation without warning.
The Choice That Saved Her Life
What made the difference for Briar was not luck, and it was not advanced rescue gear.
It was the fact that she was already wearing a life jacket.
That one decision kept her supported in the waves long enough for a rescue boat to find her.
For sailors and boaters, that may sound like an obvious point. We all know life jackets save lives. But knowing that and wearing one every time are not always the same thing.
That gap between awareness and action is exactly what Briar is now working to close.
As she shares on her platform:
“What was supposed to be a fun day of sailing with my father and sister turned into one of the most terrifying moments of my life. But God, in His mercy, was not done writing my story.”
That moment did not just change her perspective. It gave her a mission.
Turning Survival Into a Message
After surviving the accident, Briar founded Choose Life Jackets, a youth-focused awareness campaign built around one simple message: wear your life jacket every time you are on the water.
The mission is especially aimed at Gen Z and Gen Alpha, audiences that are not always reached by traditional boating safety messaging. Instead of relying on generic warnings or outdated campaigns, Briar has chosen to communicate in a way that feels personal, current, and easy to understand.
That includes a strong social media presence, a dedicated website, and video storytelling that puts a real face to the message.
Her slogan says it all:
“It’s Not a Fashion Statement, It’s a Lifestyle. Wear it.”
It is catchy, yes, but it also gets at something important. For younger boaters especially, safety messaging has to become part of culture, not just a rule repeated by adults at the dock.
If wearing a life jacket becomes normal, expected, and visible, more lives will be saved.
Why This Matters for Every Boater
While Briar’s message is geared toward younger generations, the truth behind it applies to everyone.
It does not matter if you are:
- heading out for a short sail after work
- taking the family tubing for the afternoon
- cruising on a calm lake
- crossing open water under ideal conditions
Accidents rarely begin with a dramatic forecast.
Most begin with a normal day.
That is what makes Briar’s story so powerful. It is not extreme or distant. It is relatable. It feels like the kind of outing any family could have planned without a second thought.
And that is exactly why it matters.
In the sailing world, we often talk about preparation in terms of weather, sail trim, navigation, and seamanship. Those things matter. But some of the most effective safety habits are the simplest ones.
Wearing a United States Coast Guard-approved life jacket is one of them.
The Real Safety Takeaway
There is no complicated lesson here.
You cannot control the wind.
You cannot predict when a boat will capsize.
You cannot guarantee you will be close enough to grab the rail, the line, or the stern.
But you can decide what you put on before you leave the dock.
That is the heart of Briar’s message, and it is one worth repeating.
Not because it is dramatic.
Because it is true.
Life jackets save lives only when they are worn.
And for Briar, that truth is not theoretical. It is personal.
Today, she is using her story to advocate for awareness, especially among younger boaters who may not always see themselves reflected in traditional safety campaigns. Her voice brings something many water safety messages are missing: relatability, honesty, and lived experience.
That is what gives this campaign its power.
wearing a life jacket is always a good idea.
Where to Learn More
To follow Briar’s story, support the mission, or share these resources with a younger boater in your life, visit the links below:
- Website: chooselifejackets.org
- Instagram: @choose_life_jackets
- YouTube: Watch Briar’s story
If you spend any time on the water, or know someone who does, this is a message worth passing on.
Because a life jacket is not about fear.-
It is about making sure you get to come home.
About Briar and Her Mission
Briar is a high school student, sailor, and founder of Choose Life Jackets, a youth-focused life jacket awareness campaign inspired by her own survival story. Through social media, video, and community outreach, she is working to encourage Gen Z and Gen Alpha to make life jackets part of every day on the water.
About the Author
Diona Young took her ASA 101 in Grenada with LTD Sailing in 2024. Since then, she has earned her ASA 103, 104, 111, and 114 certifications and continued to build real experience on the water. She has bareboat chartered in destinations around the world, including Greece, Sicily, Tahiti, Belize, and beyond. When she’s not sailing, Diona works in sailing education and community, helping other sailors find their own confident first step onto the water.
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