Friday, April 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
Timothy Gordon Noble, whose near-drowning at 18 months inspired the formation of Families of Near Drowning, creating an awareness program that has educated thousands of Southern Nevadans to water dangers, has died. He was 9.
The native Las Vegan died at his home Wednesday night of pneumonia, a condition stemming from the brain damage he suffered in the June 1988 incident, when he climbed into the family's backyard above-ground swimming pool.
Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at West Oakey Baptist Church. Visitation will be in Bunker's Memory Gardens Chapel noon-8 p.m. Saturday. Interment will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery.
Although Noble remained a virtual infant because of the massive neurological damage he suffered, fire and safety officials say his contribution to the community was invaluable because the organization his tragedy inspired has saved untold scores of children from a similar fate.
Children who suffer brain damage from near-drownings as babies have a life expectancy of about 9 to 10 years, the Clark County Fire Department said.
Born Nov. 26, 1986, Timothy was the son of Clark County Fire Inspector Joe Noble and his wife, Lonnie, co-founders of FOND.
"While national statistics show that many families dissolve after such tragic incidents because of mental anguish, the Nobles and their other children pulled together and became extraordinary noble citizens of their community," said Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach.
"The work they have done with FOND has made life safer for so many others."
The Nobles also spearheaded support and counseling for families of children who died or suffered permanent brain damage as a result of water mishaps.
Last Friday, Timothy developed a high fever. His family made the decision to keep him at home under the nighttime nursing care he had been receiving for many years. A doctor, nurse and his family were at Timothy's bedside when he died.
In addition to his parents, Noble was survived by two sisters, Shelly, 16, and Amy, 15; a brother, Joey, 11; his maternal grandparents, Gordon and Elaine Cartwright; his paternal grandmother, Betty Noble, all of Las Vegas; a great-grandmother, Dorothy Grebe of Fort Smith, Ark., five uncles and four aunts.
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