SOLON, Ohio — When it opens on April 26, the new playground in Solon is set to spark all sorts of smiles and laughter from kids in the community.
But the greatest joy from it may belong to the Botirius family.
"Take a horrible, horrible situation and at least bring some good to people," Kip Botirius said. "A reason to smile and be happy."
Four-year-old Sebastian Botirius passed away on April 18, 2022, after a battle with a rare genetic disorder.
According to the family, Sebastian died after a long battle with LRBA deficiency, which stands for lipopolysaccharide-responsive and beige-like anchor protein.
Following his death, the family channeled their grief into a passion project to honor Sebastian: build a new inclusive playground in Solon.
They ended up raising $150,000.
News 5 spoke with the family in the days after Sebastian's death:
RELATED: Cuyahoga Co. family raises money for new playground in honor of 4-year-old son who passed away
Now, that playground is just about ready to open. News 5 explored the space with Kip, his 9-year-old son Jackson, and the family's two newly adopted children, Legend and Royal.
"I love this," Jackson said while atop the playground's new net structure. "I had the idea for this."
"[Sebastian] loved playgrounds and he loved including everyone in them - This would be his favorite," Kip said. "When we first started, I didn’t know anything about playgrounds. We did this because we didn’t know what to do when Sebastian died."
The playground includes several elements to honor Sebastian, including his love of dinosaurs, music and the color green.
"He loved music," Kip added. "When he was a couple months old, he wouldn’t go to sleep. I would put on Bob Marley's Three Little Birds and he would be out cold."
As News 5 reported in 2023, this play space fits with the city’s plan to upgrade the park.
"It was one heck of a playground when it was put in 20 years ago," Mayor Kraus told News 5 at the time. "It’s a little tired and a little worn down, so it's time to invest in the future.
Watch that story below:
RELATED: Solon to approve new playground in honor of 4-year-old who died in 2022
As for what this will mean for the community, look no further than the growing number of families that crept into the not-yet-open playground during News 5's conversation with the Botirius family.
"We unlocked the gate 10 minutes ago and there’s already 10-15 kids here playing," Kip smiled.
Crews are still working on the landscaping surrounding the playground.
The playground, located at 6679 Som Center Road, is set to officially open on Saturday, April 26th, with a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. and the playground opening at 11 a.m. The celebration will include face painting, bounce houses, food and balloon animals.
