A new playground opened on Oct. 25 at Stamford’s Temple Beth El in memory of 10-year-old Emmet Manheim who passed away last year. 

On Sunday, Oct. 25, a playground was opened in memory of my young friend, Emmet Manheim. Emmet died of aplastic anemia last fall at the age of 10. Emmet would have been a member of the Stamford High School Class of 2027.

Emmet’s mom, Lisa Manheim said, “Building Emmet’s Playground was a labor of love, the love of his dad and me and also the thousands of family and friends who helped us make this dream a reality. We’ve been enveloped by the love of our community, and this playground is a testament to the power of a community to come together and make something beautiful happen.” 

The playground is located on the grounds of Temple Beth El, a place Emmet loved and where he felt at home. Once the coronavirus pandemic is over, the playground will be open to the public. 

Emmet always had a passion for roller coasters. With help from a kid’s planning and design committee composed of Emmet’s cousins and friends, the playground has a roller-coaster theme and incorporates Emmet’s passion for things that are “fun, fast, and fair.” 

As Emmet’s parents spoke at the grand opening, they mentioned a quote from Emmet’s favorite Broadway show, Hamilton. “Legacy. What is a legacy? It’s planting trees in a garden you’ll never get to see.” This quote is engraved on a stone at the entrance to the playground. As many more kids go to the playground to ride the gravity rail or climb on the monkey bars, we hope they will remember Emmet’s legacy, a legacy of love.