The community gathered to celebrate the memory of Park Cities children who have been lost during the 26th annual tree lighting at Elena’s Children’s Park on Dec. 2.
University Park mayor Tommy Stewart remarked that the evening’s crowd was the largest he had ever seen at the park. The audience included many children, who sipped hot chocolate, ate cookies, and played around the tree while the adults spoke.
The park was inspired by the life of 3-year-old Mary Elena Franklin, who died in an automobile accident on August 2, 1997. More than 500 families, corporations and foundations contributed to the park’s creation.
“The dream of the park would be that no child went forgotten,” explained Kirk Dooley, a friend of the Franklins who helped make the park a reality.
“We hope that all the visitors who visit this park understand that our children don’t perish,” Dooley added later, “but they live on in eternity.”
City manager Robbie Corder remembered some of the children lost this year during the ceremony’s opening prayer.
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“Thank you for giving us this park, that lets us honor them and remember what special gifts you gave each of them,” he said. “Hunter’s wisdom. Keaton’s strength. Lila’s gentleness. Hadley’s colorful spirit. Janie’s faith. Hanna’s energy. Rebecca’s independence. And Eloise’s wonderment.”
The tree lighting is dedicated to Kirk Dooley’s son, Kellis Dooley, who died about four years ago.
“I remember talking to people, and they would come up to me and say, ‘I can just imagine how you feel.’ And my reaction was, ‘well, actually, you cannot,’” Kirk Dooley told those gathered for the tree lighting. “You can imagine all you can … Losing a child is ten times worse than anything you can imagine.”
Dooley said that the pain gets better over time, and that the goal is for parents to be able to smile when they remember the joy they and their child shared.
Dooley’s words were followed by holiday carols from Highland Park High School’s Park Version vocal ensemble. Children in the audience joined Dooley as he counted down from 10 to light the tree.
