Thunder roared and lightning flashed early Saturday before dawn Sunday, on Aug. 28. Pounding rain filled ditches and washes full to overflowing.
Despite the stormy, dramatic weather, hundreds gathered to pay tribute to Prescott native Kayla Mueller at the newly opened 6,000-square-foot playground. Kayla’s Hands Playground was created to memorialize the 26-year-old Prescott woman who died in a Syrian prison, where she was held hostage by Islamic terrorists.
The dedication of the $240,000 playground was the culminating moment of an effort begun by the Prescott Kiwanis Club some 13 months earlier. The playground is to honor Mueller, who had dedicated her life to helping those less fortunate.
A message written by Kayla encapsulates her humanitarian belief: “I’ve known for some time what my life’s work is – using my hands as tools to relieve suffering.”
The dark-haired, brown-eyed Mueller had been captured on Aug, 3, 2013, when she and Omar Alkhani, a photojournalist who said he was her boyfriend, crossed the border to a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Aleppo, Syria.
Mueller was reportedly held captive for 18 months by Islamic extremists before her death was confirmed in February 2015.
“Kayla lived her life for others. She used her hands to relieve suffering. This playground is aptly named,” said Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).
“For me, seeing this park is like closing a really big book. Now we can come here and sit back and enjoy it. When we hear those children’s voice at the playground, it’s really Kayla’s voice,” said her dad, Carl Mueller. QCBN
By Ray Newton, QCBN
Photo by Ray Newton
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