Sadie’s Purpose

(Gallatin News- John Cross click HERE for full article)

Sadie Davis was 17-month-old when she lost a brief battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in 2012. SUBMITTED

Amber Davis’ daughter Sadie was just 16-months-old she was unexpectedly rushed to the hospital following a seizure she had in her sleep in November 2012.

The blonde-haired, blue-eyed toddler who had seemingly been in perfect health was eventually diagnosed with an aggressive form of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

She only had six weeks to live.

“I remember after we lost her how devastating that was,” Davis said about the death of her daughter on Dec. 21, 2012. “Her life was robbed, but her story hasn’t ended in tragedy.”

Six years later, Sadie’s memory will continue to live on in a new all-inclusive playground located at Triple Creek Park in Gallatin.

Bob Goodall, president of Goodall Homes, announced last month that the company will donate $100,000 towards the project in memory of the late 17-month-year-old. Plans for the playground include swings for wheelchairs, an easy-to-ride zipline, merry-go-round, game board and musical instruments, in addition to other features.

Davis, who has worked for Goodall Homes since 2008, said the project would have benefitted her daughter who would have been paralyzed from the waist down as the result of surgery to remove the cancer from her spine.

“I immediately burst into tears,” Davis recalled when learning about the donation. “She brought me so much joy and I did not want her name to bring pain. It definitely means the world to me to know that her life, even though it was so short, had a large purpose. It’s a purpose that continues to be bigger than I would have ever dreamed.”

Playground funding still needed

Located on a former softball field, Gallatin’s planned Miracle Park complex will feature a Miracle Field, all-inclusive playground and a pedal park for children to learn how to ride a bike safely.

he entire project is estimated to cost between $1.8 million and $2 million to complete, according to David Brown, director of Gallatin Parks and Recreation. Approximately $600,000 is still needed for the playground, which is the only unfunded project remaining in the complex.

With the recent donation from Goodall Homes, Mayor Paige Brown said she hopes others will be encouraged to contribute.

“We love having people who operate businesses in our community that care about improving the quality of life for their employees and our citizens,” she added. “This is a very generous gift that is a substantial step towards our goal.”

In August, Gallatin was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to build the Miracle Field, which will be fully wheelchair accessible and include artificial turf with no dirt or raised bases. An additional $500,000 in matching local funds for the project were included in the city’s current fiscal year budget, which was approved earlier this year.

Initial site work on the pedal park, which is being funded by All Access Coach and Leasing, began last month.

Both projects are expected to be completed by the fall of 2019 followed by the playground whenever funding is secured, according to David Brown.

For more information about Gallatin’s Miracle Park, including donation and sponsorship opportunities, contact the Gallatin Civic Center at (615) 451-5911.