OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Four-year-old Dominik Walters tragically lost his life about a year and a half ago. His family is working to keep his memory alive by building a new playground at Chalco Hills.
Monday night they’re having afundraiser at Ollie and Hobbes in Papillion to help build the new park. If you show your server the flyer posted with this story ten percent of your food sales will be donated to the Dominik Walters Memorial Fund.
“He had an infectious laugh,” Ryan Walter, Dom’s dad said. “He cared for pretty much everybody.”
“ That kid had a memory on him,” Tiffany Walter, Dom’s mom said. “He would remember every single match box car that he had. He could tell you exactly where it came from, if it was a gift from someone, if he bought it himself.”
Dom was healthy, and his parents had no reason to suspect a trip to the family cabin in July 2018 would be his last.
“He was jumping off the dock five to six times,” Ryan said. “And the last time he jumped, I was catching him effectively because I didn't want him to fully go under, the last time he jumped he just ceased up for a split second and went limp.”
They later found out Dom had a cardiac arrest.
“It caught us completely off guard and we still don't have a really good answer,” Ryan said.
Dom's family is working to keep his memory alive through his little sister, Nora, and really all kids who enjoy will enjoy Dom’s Park.
“He loved her so much,” Tiffany said. “He was such a great big brother. It’s one of the things that hurts me the most about him not being here anymore is they won't have that connection for the rest of their lives together living on this earth.”
Dom's park will replace the 25-year-old playground at Chalco Hills Recreational Area.
“It will have things like Dom's racecar rental, pretend shop, space, cars, big slides, lots of things to climb. All of the things he loved will be in this park. It will be filled with him,” Tiffany said.
“From the tragedy of their son,” John Winkler, General Manager, Papio NRD said. “They've turned that around into a very positive thing for the community and this is going to last for generations to come. Just from one unfortunate incident, hundreds of thousands of kids are going to be able to enjoy a facility like this so we think it’s a great honor to help them.”
The Walters need to raise $192,000 and they hope to make it a reality by next Fall.
