SAN ANTONIO — A year after losing their three-year-old boy in a tragic accident, the family of Mitchell Chang is giving back to the community as a way to honor Mitchell.
In February 2018, Mitchell drowned at the Love To Swim School in Stone Oak. His parents had dropped him off there because the swim school was offering a program called “date night.”
“It's a parent's worst nightmare. You drop your child off with a caregiver and you get a horrible phone call,” said Mitchell’s mother, April Chang.
Now the family is on a mission to turn their tragedy in something positive and a way to share Mitchell’s legacy of kindness. “He is no longer here to be Mitchell and to put his good out in the world, and so we feel that's our job to do for him now,” Chang said.
The Chang family started a foundation called the Mitchell Chang Foundation.
“It's a positive outlet for us to heal in the community because what happened to Mitchell affected so many people,” she said.
The foundation is a way to remember the little boy who had such a big heart and always wanted to help others.
“We want everyone to have their own good story and to continue his good story because all the acts of love and kind acts can just overwhelm the world with good,” said Chang.
On Sunday, the Mitchell Chang Foundation held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the first of two projects in memory of Mitchell. Chang said playground located in a Stone Oak neighborhood would have been just what Mitchell would have wanted for his friends.
Leslie White’s daughter, McKenna was a close friend of Mitchell’s.
“It represents a lot of what his spirit is all about. He was authentic and kind and loving and he would do anything for his friends,” White said.
The second project is still in the planning stages. It will be another playground called Mitchell’s Landing. The playground, designed like a pirate ship, which was something Mitchell loved, will be all inclusive.
Chang said they want children and parents of all abilities to be able to enjoy the playground. "Children with a physical disability or parents with a physical disability who want to be able to play on the place with their child will be able to easily and without hesitation. It's made for everyone,” she said.
His mother said by creating a place for all his friends to play, the good story of Mitchell Chang will continue. “I mean, he really just loved to help. He had such a sweet heart. And it was inspiring. It inspired us,” she said.
“We love him and miss him and we’re so proud of the amazing legacy that he’s leaving behind for all of us,” said White.