Remembering Hannah Day: Sooke dedicates playground in honour of beloved child

Remembering Hannah Day: Sooke dedicates playground in honour of beloved child
CHEK

Today marked a special moment for those close to Hannah Day, as the Sunriver neighbourhood of Sooke named a playground in her honour.

Hannah was a child who united her community in her fight against cancer and inspired countless others to take action.

Today, her mother and the Mayor of Sooke unveiled the new sign honouring her memory, marked with a monkey: Hannah’s favorite animal.

“Her smile and story brought thousands of people together, and inspired them all to register as stem cells donors,” said Sooke’s Mayor, Maja Tait.

“We’re honouring a young girl who taught us about strength, courage, tenacity, bravery and love.”

Named the Hannah Day Playground, it will stand as a symbol of hope and inspire generations to come.

While holding back tears, Hannah’s mother, Brooke Ervin spoke to the crowd, thanking the community for its support.

“For four years, I’ve just pretended it didn’t exist, but today — in a positive way — I’m forced to accept what has happened, and I can’t thank you guys enough for being here,” she said. “She’s thought about every day, with us, and I’m glad there’s a place we can come and ensure that she is never forgotten, so thank you.”

Throughout the event, community members served up hotdogs and drinks for attendees, while over 100 build-a-bear monkeys were given out to the kids in attendance from Hannah’s family.

At one point crowds gathered around the swing set and watched as Hannah’s sister Hailey helped pull away the inaugural ribbon.

At just three years old, Hannah was diagnosed with stage four cancer. She fought endlessly, but in the end — it was all too much.

READ MORE ABOUT HANNAH: Little Hannah Day passes away after battle with cancer

During her struggle with Leukemia, the Greater Victoria community came together to support her by searching for a stem cell donor. Later on, they raised thousands of dollars to assist the Day family during the challenging period when tumours were discovered in her brain, providing much-needed financial relief.

Now, the playground will remain in the community as a testament to the young girl’s strength, courage, tenacity, bravery, and love.

A symbol of hope for all those who may face similar challenges in their lives, and a reminder that even in the face of adversity, we can come together as a community to make a difference.

Maja Tait, Sooke's mayor shares a hug with Hannah's mother, Brooke Ervin.

Maja Tait, Sooke’s mayor, shares a hug with Hannah’s mother, Brooke Ervin.

 

Roger CollinsRoger Collins

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