DEWITT - The DeWitt community and the Pauly family remembered little Jack Pauly at a memorial ceremony Monday, May 28, 2012.
About 100 people came to Westbrook Park Monday to release balloons and honor a play area that's remembered in his name. A mulch section of the park now has two spring riders and a tractor slide with a plaque that has Jack's name.
"This is something Jack would want," his grandmother Bonnie Boehl said. "He would want to see other kids enjoy the park and the toys that he would love to be on himself."
Jack Pauly died on April 17, 2011 when his mother accidentally rolled over him while she was backing up her car. Jack opened the door to the garage for the first time, and the mom accidentally backed up over him. She could not see her son beside her at the time.
"My husband came out and took him from me," mother Karen Pauly told News 8 a year ago. "Then I called 911."
Monday, friends and family came together to release balloons honoring Jack and play in the park that he loved being at.
"I think he just loved being outside," Karen said. "He loved being with his dad, and he loved being with his grandpa. He was like a guy's guy already."
Jack's area has a tractor slide that kids can ride down. Friends and family pulled money together to build the area after April of last year.
"We knew we wanted a farm piece because Jack loved tractors," Karen said. "Then it snow balled from there because people said, 'Hey, we have a little bit more money,' so we said 'Lets get a plaque. Let's get some spring riders.'"
Each of the balloons released Monday had a note attached to it to alert people on car safety. The family wants all cars to have cameras in them to show people what's behind them when they're backing up.