Park renamed after loss of beloved son of Charlotte

For someone new to the quirky NoDa arts neighborhood, they may not know the name Davis Flohr. If you’re walking past the community park that now carries his name, you might not be able to fully appreciate the joy that he brought to the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, Davis' life ended too soon at the age of 13. Davis was born with medical complications, and throughout his life, he had to endure too many doctors' visits and hospitalizations.

Today would have been Davis' 15th birthday.

“He had so many challenges in life, and when he had a bad day, he never begrudged any of it. He was happy,” said  Heather Flohr Pigg, Davis' mom.

The death of a child is often looked upon as an ultimate loss, and few things can be more devastating. The grief that was felt after the loss of Davis brought a community together to ensure his legacy stays intact.

“There is something special about him,” Flohr Pigg said.

The eclectic neighborhood was lucky enough to have this spunky teenage boy who united young and old with a common thread: joy.

When you walked past the neighborhood park, you could usually find Davis enjoying the good times.

With busy schedules and alluring electronics inside the home, there has always been something different about NoDa’s neighborhood park.  A lot of that delight was because of Davis.

“He was like a big brother to some of the kids,” Flohr Pigg said.

A friend of the family wanted to do something to honor this little boy with a big spirit by having the neighborhood park renamed to honor his life.

After over a year of emails, calls and presentations, the county approved the renaming of the neighborhood park to the Davis Flohr park.

“I’ve gotten so many messages from parents with young kids who can’t wait to tell them stories about who the park is named after,” Flohr Pigg said. “These people really feel like Davis brought people together.”

You’d have to know Davis to realize the depth of his goodness.

He was the kid who gave his lunch to kids whose families couldn’t afford food. Davis was the boy who gave away his prized possession to a fellow student who didn’t receive a Christmas gift.

A bright, orange homemade sign sits with bold letters that read “Live Like Davis” as a reminder to everyone who strolls by to enjoy each moment.

For families dealing with the loss of a child, Flohr Pigg shared that one of the best ways to deal with it is to make something good out of it.

“The park and hopefully a foundation to honor Davis helps us do that,” she said.

If you have an inspiring story to share, email Kevin Campbell, WSOC-TV/WAXN-TV/Telemundo Charlotte public affairs manager, at Kevin.Campbell@wsoctv.com.

Cox Media Group