HOUSTON, Texas – Mohrman said Josiah McIntyre enjoyed playing outside. He also loved baseball and the Houston Astros.
Josiah died Sept. 8, 2020, just days after encountering a deadly brain eating amoeba found in Lake Jackson’s water supply.
Principal Andrea Ham said it was a terrible freak accident.
“We know that this could have happened to anybody’s child,” Ham said.
Ham said the PTO initially came up with the idea to create a memorial to honor Josiah. Mohrman said they came up with something bigger.
“They (the PTO) were thinking smaller. Ms. Ham and I we’re crazy, and we said let’s go big and try for it,” Mohrman said.
That’s how the vision for a blue, white and orange, Astros-themed playground came about. With the approval of their education foundation, the educators created an online fundraiser with the hopes of raising $65,000 for the playground. As of Thursday morning, the fundraiser had reached $1900. That was until Twila Carter, CEO of The Astros Foundation, walked into the elementary school with a giant check for $65,000.
“When you see someone whose so passionate about baseball at such a young age, and you know, such a sad story to lose a child that young,” Carter said. “It’s the right thing to do, and sometimes you do the right thing.”
School administrators said now that they have funds to break ground on the project, they’re considering dates.
Mohrman said it would be a great tribute to have a ribbon cutting ceremony on The Josiah McIntyre Memorial Playground on Sept. 8, the one-year anniversary of Josiah’s passing.
Mohrman said the school will continue to raise money on the online fundraiser to get a plaque and other add-ons for the playground. If you’d like to donate, here’s the link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/josiahs-memorial-playground-at-madge-griffith