When you’re part of the pool industry, you are well aware of the dangers a swimming pool can present. What’s harder to imagine, however, is tragedy striking within your own family. But in 2019, Daniel Morris, president of Morris Pools in Mesa, Arizona, received the devastating news that his 3-year-old daughter, Lillian, had drowned in their backyard pool.
“Our hearts were left completely broken and shattered,” Morris says. “How could we continue building pools? How could we continue on in the industry?”
Instead of leaving the pool industry, Morris started a nonprofit, the Lillian Michelle Foundation, and became an advocate for water safety. The foundation raises drowning-prevention awareness, and provides funding for swim lessons and pool fencing.
“As a symbol for her and bringing families together, we give our clients the option of having a purple mosaic lily flower tile installed in their pool,” Morris says. “We want it to be a reminder that swimming pools are fun, they can create lasting memories with friends and families. We place this beautiful tile in the pool as a gentle reminder of how families can become closer as they enjoy time in their backyards.”
Morris was born and raised in Arizona and worked alongside his father in the landscape industry. It was there he realized he loved working with clients and crews, transforming backyards. He started Morris Pools in 2011, beginning in service and eventually adding repairs, remodels and new construction. “We have been greatly blessed by this industry,” Morris says. “We love the pool industry and the great people who are a part of it.”
