Parents defend viral video of 6-month-old son's waterskiing skills
Parents of a 6-month-old baby who went viral for waterskiing are facing a wake of online backlash.
In the viral video, Casey Humphreys sits in a boat within arm's length of his 6-month-old son Rich who water-skied in Lake Powell for the first time.
“He’s just so full of life," Mindi Humphreys told "Good Morning America" in an exclusive interview. "He loves the water."
The Humphreys said the boat was going about 5 miles per hour and that Casey remained by his father's side at all times.
"We had a separate boat out there," the father said, adding that they had "10 to 12 people with us, including doctors and nurses."
Although his son was wearing a life vest, strapped onto small foot holds on top of the board and holding onto a large handle, many people who saw the stunt on Instagram were quick to voice concerns.
The video of Rich quickly went viral after it garnered the attention of Barstool Sports, which shared the video on its page, amassing over 2.6 million views.
Some commented in the Instagram post that the video was "reckless" and "irresponsible." One person wrote, "this child is far too young to be on the water unattended -- is in real danger of drowning or letting go and seriously hurting himself."
The Humphreys claimed in the caption that Rich holds the unofficial record for the youngest water-skier in the world.
Still, some commenters praised the parents for starting Rich on the water at a young age.
"You are such great parents teaching your beautiful little boy how awesome adventure is," one posted.
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"I really feel like the majority of criticism comes from people caring and people just being concerned and wanting the best for our child," Mindi Humphreys told "GMA." "So honestly we appreciate that."
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, infants can drown in seconds because they lack neck and muscle control and should always remain within reach when around water.
Rich's parents said they enrolled him in infant swimming classes and built him that custom board, as well as practiced on land first before graduating to water with support.
"He has never fallen off of it before," Casey Humphreys said. "When we put him on the board and had him on the top he, he was right at home."
Mindi Humphreys said they consulted a medical professional.
"We talked to his pediatrician and before we water-skied, he was super impressed by how far along Rich and he’s really well developed for his age," she said. "He said it’s fine and to not worry."
The Humphreys said that if their son sticks with water sports, they don't doubt his name will be worldwide some day.
"Whether you agree with what we’ve done for Rich and what he accomplished or not, you can understand how exciting it is to see your child accomplish something," Casey Humphreys said.
