Know Your Flags! Learn about the Je'Sani Smith Foundation

Published: March 8, 2021, 6:44 p.m.

Big Frank visits with Belinda De La Cruz, VP of the Je'Sani Smith Foundation. The Je’Sani Smith Foundation's purpose is to save lives by providing education, awareness, and water skills training on beach safety, seaward-flowing water currents, and other coastal hazards. The Foundation is named after Je'Sani Smith. Je'Sani had just turned 18 years old and was two months shy of graduating high school when he was swept away by a rip current at one of his hometown beaches. Je'Sani was a 6'4", 215 lbs, an athlete, and a strong swimmer. This tragic event is proof that anyone can be caught in a rip current no matter how strong they are. His parents, founders of the foundation Kiwana and Terry Denson, have made it their personal mission to make sure that no family has to experience a similar loss and they work tirelessly to do this through beach safety and rip current education.