THE BEGINNING OF A LEGACY

Today was one of the best days of my life. It was the beginning of a new legacy—a legacy birthed from tragedy and nurtured by love.

Today The Where Angels Play Foundation began building the playground in memory of our Chris and our Jarrod.

 They came from all over. Many of them are veterans of 911 like retired fireman, Bill Lavin, who founded the Where Angels Play Foundation .  Local fireman, police officers, county workers, and scores of volunteers arrived this morning. They are some of the same folks who lined up years ago at our Chris's bone marrow drive. Many of them are the first responders who tried so earnestly to save our Jarrod on the day of his accident.

Carlos Soto was there too. His daughter, Victoria, died protecting her first grade class from the gunman at Sandy hook.

Maurice and Robert came all the way from Rwanda. Maurice lost almost his entire family in the 1994 genocide. Robert spent much of his youth in a refugee camp, hungry and barely surviving. But here they are, 7,000 miles from home on a mission of grace.

Maurice and me on the beach by the playground

 Ours is playground number 48. The foundation began building playgrounds after hurricane Katrina destroyed one in Missisippi. They went on to build 26 more playgrounds in the northeastern United States in memory of the Sandy hook victims. Last year they built one in Rwanda in honor of those killed in the genocide. This week, they sent representatives to meet with families in Parkland, Florida to begin planning a build there.

But today, they were all here for us, for our boys, and for our community. They came with truckloads of supplies and equipment. We watched them pouring cement, hoisting beams, drilling, sawing, and creating a beautiful monument of love.

Galatians 6:2 "Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill[a] the law of Christ."

Supplies arrive at the site

Our granddaughters, Saradi and Skyla, are the honorary foremen

Today was a great day for our family because we have been embraced by heroes, and joined forever in spirit with other parents who understand our pain. Together our tears of sorrow water seeds of hope that sprout playgrounds!

Numbers 11:17 "I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone."

Our playground in progress at South Lido Park in Sarasota, Florida.

By tomorrow evening our playground will be completed, but its legacy has just begun.