John "Pump" McLaughlin is home to stay.

A life-sized bronze statue of the late Butler County Family YMCAAquatics Director, his right arm on the shoulder of a young Eric Namesnik with niece Alice Ann McLaughlin seated alongside, was unveiled Sunday at a ceremony at the Butler County Family YMCA.

"It took many meetings, countless letters and phone calls, even a trip to Provo, Utah, but, finally, we're able to bring Pump back home to his favorite place, the Butler County Family YMCA,"said Jack Shilling, CEOof the Valley Points YMCAand a former McLaughlin pupil.

About 250 people witnessed the ceremony dedicating the statue to McLaughlin, Namesnik and Alice Ann McLaughlin-Boyle.

McLaughlin died March 28, 2004, at the age of 64. He was the Butler County Family YMCAaquatics director for 45 years and is credited with teaching more than 50,000 people how to swim.

His prize pupil was Namesnik, an Olympic silver medalist in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympic Games. The first American to swim the 400-meter individual medley under four minutes and 15 seconds, Namesnik died at age 35 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident during January of last year.

Lisa Allen, Namesnik's sister, spoke on behalf of the family at the ceremony.

"This seems like old-home week,"she said. "I see so many old swimmers we grew up with and had fun with. We're all a part of what Pump created.

"He started off as our teacher, became our coach and developed into our friend."

While Allen was also one of Pump's swimmers, she recalled how much her brother feared the water as a small child.

"When he was little, he didn't like the water. He didn't even like to take a shower,"she said. "Pump coaxed him into the water. Eric learned from Pump ... If you believe in something, you can make it come true."

Namesnik is depicted as a 10-year-old in the statue.

McLaughlin-Boyle swam competitively, taught swimming and coached for her uncle. Like Namesnik, she is depicted as a youngster in the statue as well.

"Being there with Pump and Eric is quite a privilege," she said. "I'm the luckiest person here because I knew Pump as a teacher, friend, coach, boss, and also as an uncle.

"He had a way of making all of his nieces and nephews feel special. He was fun and entertaining. I was one of those shy children who needed a boost of self-confidence. Pump's magical way of making me feel comfortable made me stick with swimming."