Emilis Vanagas, 15, drowned in the River Kelvin in summer this year after jumping in to help someone in trouble.
The mum of a schoolboy who drowned in the River Kelvin has welcomed new safety measures at the banks where he died.
Emilis Vanagas, 15, died on July 12 this year after jumping into the fast-moving water near Maryhill Road in Glasgow to help another person in trouble.
The teenager’s body was recovered from the water after a five-hour search. His devastated family say he “died a hero” after putting others before himself.
Mum Daiva Daivute has spent the last five months campaigning for new safety measures in a bid to prevent similar tragedies in the future. She said the decision by Glasgow City Council to install warning signs and repair dangerous railings along the riverbank was “the best Christmas present ever”.
“I’m so happy to hear this news — the best Christmas present ever. I can’t hold my tears,” she told the Record. “My son would be proud. I do this not just for him, but for everyone’s safety and to prevent similar accidents.
“My heart is shattered by the loss of my son Emilis. Our family is not the same without him.
“He was only 15. He had his whole future ahead of him. The selfless act of my son, who tried to save another person, ultimately led to his own tragic loss. I think life-saving equipment and clear warning signs could have prevented him from going in that day.”
The river banks where Emilis died during summer is a notorious spot locals know as “Slushie” — a beauty spot that hides deadly currents beneath calm water.
Glasgow City Council confirmed a wider safety review will also take place in the new year — and Daiva will be invited to join officials at the site along with Duncan Spiers who tragically lost his son Christopher, aged 28, at the same spot returning alone from a night out in 2016.
Daiva told the Record safety signs alone won’t be enough as she called on council chiefs to install life-saving equipment. She added: “I want life belts with ropes and proper barriers. And water safety lessons in schools and community centres. These measures can save lives.”
Her petition calling for urgent safety improvements has been backed by Duncan and Margeret Spiers who run Christopher’s Saving Lives campaign and MSP Bob Doris.
The Spiers family established their campaign in memory of their son Christopher who drowned after falling into the River Clyde in 2016
Duncan added: “It’s amazing what Daiva has done despite the grief she has faced, we know exactly how she feels, but it’s taken another tragedy for the council to act.
“We have been campaigning for almost a decade and we’re still asking for belts and ropes to put across Glasgow’s waterways.
“We will look forward to pushing the council to do more together.”
