Annie's Field of Dreams

Annie's Field of Dreams. . , Annie Whittingham never met a kid she didn't like. She had the boundless energy of a 5-year-old, a kind heart, and a knack for making friends. “When we would go to a park or anywhere with a lot kids, Annie wasn't shy,” her father, Steve Whittingham, recalls fondly. “She'd go right up to them, introduce herself, and ask them to play.” Her kind, loving spirit earned her the nickname Sweet Annie. , , In August 2019, one week after starting kindergarten, Annie died in a tragic accident while playing in her Fox Chapel backyard with her father and 8-year-old sister Sadie. That moment stopped time for the Whittingham family. The thought of going on with life without their youngest member, a constant source of light and optimism, seemed unfathomable. , “There are absolutely no words to describe the black abyss you fall into when your child dies,” Annie's mother, Abbie Whittingham, explains. “The hole has no bottom; the descent has no final destination.” Even in that darkness, Abbie realized she had to find light for Sadie, who needed her parents to guide her through her own grief. , “I've always said, 'If Sadie is okay, I'll be okay.' I still have a beautiful daughter who needs a mom. Losing Annie and not having me present would have been the worst thing for Sadie.” says Abbie. “Instead of spending my days under the covers, I found myself looking for hope and a continued connection to our Annie.” , After the accident, family friend Lynne Sherry set up a GoFundMe page for the community to leave condolences and make donations in Annie's name. “So many people reached out; they wanted to show their support and give to the family in a tangible way,” says Sherry, noting that contributors were doing so “without knowing exactly what was needed.” The original goal was to raise $5,000. Donations poured in, surpassing that goal the first day, with no sign of slowing down. , The unfathomable loss had shaken the Fox Chapel community to its core. , “Our hearts break with you,” wrote one donor on the GoFundMe website. The O'Hara Elementary PTO related the message, “Annie only graced our halls for a few short days, but we will carry her forever in our hearts.” The Fox Chapel Boys 9U baseball league donated $300, and a group of children who opened a lemonade stand in Annie's honor gave $164. Meanwhile, an anonymous donor pledged to match all donations., “There have been over a thousand donors,” says Abbie. “I don't think we even know a thousand people.” , The family sought to give back to the community that rallied around them. “We take people's generosity very seriously,” asserts Abbie. Inspired by a quiet park where Annie often played and even learned to walk, the family dreamed up an idea they believe captures Annie's spirit: a one-of-a-kind playground that will give the community all the things their bright-eyed girl cherished. “We are going to share her story,” Abbie says., Calling on skillsets that Abbie, a kindergarten teacher, and Steve, a developer, spent their whole lives honing, they set out to build Annie's Field of Dreams at McCahill Park, just a mile from their home. The park, a humble green space located on Hemlock Hollow Road, features several ballfields and, until now, a playground that was so minimal it was easily overlooked, nestled among some trees. Today, the play space is a kid’s dream come true, with fun opportunities for bouncing, swinging, climbing, balancing, and hanging., To design the playground, Annie’s family recalled her favorite activities. When she went to a playground, she made a beeline for the swings, remembers Sadie, noting Annie’s love of the saucer swing where “lots of kids could pile on it.” With the help of playground equipment manufacturer Kompan, Annie's Field of Dreams took shape over the spring and summer, with the goal of opening phase one in September, complete with that saucer swing, traditional swings, and a pendulum, log-like swing, that can be used by all ages, fitting several people at the same time. In a nod to Annie's beloved Mini Labradoodle Willow, there is also a rocking dog for riding., A little girl with a big imagination, Annie spent hours playing outside with her sister. Their favorite activity, Sadie says, was to take their dolls, and anything else they could hold in their arms, to their backyard playhouse. “They would set it up like a real house,” recalls Abbie. Inspired by the girls' imagination, Lilliput Play Homes drew up plans for a play village with houses, shops, and other child-size buildings. A book lending library provides endless reading material for young park visitors, with a circle of benches already in place for reading. , The park embraces Annie's sense of adventure, with a 100-foot zipline that features a platform enabling young riders to hop on without adult help. Also in the works is a bike path that will circle the playground and connect with existing trails, and possibly pickleball courts and basketball courts featuring adjustable baskets for players of all heights. , “Once the kids start coming, we will see what the need is,” says Abbie. “We really want to incorporate the needs the community.”, To date, $175,000 has been raised for the Annie Whittingham Forever Five Fund, which is now managed by the Pittsburgh Foundation, a non-profit that directs charitable funds., “It’s going to take a lot of work” says Steve, expressing gratitude that Fox Chapel Borough Council has supported their efforts “every step of the way.” When he and Abbie proposed building the playground to the council, “There wasn't a dry eye in the room. Everyone was so willing to help,” he recalls., In the days following the accident, the Whittingham family was enveloped with messages of love from friends and strangers. A meal train provided dinner for the family for more than two months. “We had so many cards from people…people who didn’t even know us,” says Abbie. “Everyone has been so amazing.” , That support, says Steve, carried them through the worst days. “Right after the accident, we were thinking we have to move as far away as possible. But with the outpouring of support from the community, we can't even imagine leaving.”, Abbie says her goal as a mother was to teach her girls to be kind to everyone. In the summer of 2019, the family set out to do something kind each day, and at dinner, they would share their acts of kindness. A few days after the accident, Abbie discovered Annie's day planner at the bottom of her backpack. “On her last day of life, her teacher wrote, ‘Polite and very respectful. Helped a friend clean up books without prompting.’ I was comforted knowing that I did my job as a mother,” says Abbie. “Annie was the kindest little girl.” O’Hara Elementary dedicated World Kindness Day activities to Annie, and students painted kindness rocks that will permanently be on display at the playground. , Grief remains a part of life for the Whittingham family. But one source of comfort, as they face life without Annie, is that she will not be forgotten. , What would Annie think of all this? “I think she'd love it,” says Abbie. “She’d want to play there.” , Smiling through her tears, Sadie agrees. “Yeah. She would like it there.” , For more information or to make a donation, visit pittsburghfoundation.org/anniewhittingham.