‘AN AMAZING IDEA’
Hidden Beach renovations honor spirit of Corralitos youngster
APTOS >> Jett Ramsey would have thought the newly renovated park at Hidden Beach, set to open in his honor just one day before what would have been his seventh birthday, was “an amazing idea.”
Amy Ramsey told the Sentinel that her 5-yearold son had many amazing ideas before he lost his life to brain cancer in April 2020. Jett loved rainbows, panda bears and playing with his best friend, Taylor. He loved dinosaurs and sparkles and the Big Wheels Jeep he would zoom around on their property.
Jett Ramsey was known for his one-liners and for the way he danced with his older brothers, Christian and Jack Ramsey, to “Baby Got Back.” He had a unique spirit; one that, in the saddest form of irony, he hoped would be the only aspect about himself to age.
“I don’t know why but he would always say he didn’t want to grow big, he liked being little,” his mom said.
“On his last birthday, he didn’t know he was going to die. So he said, ‘I don’t want to have a birthday party, I want to have a Christmas party.’”
The park ribbon cutting on 11 a.m. Monday at 660 Cliff Drive, will be a re-creation of that party. All of the children who wore Christmas pajamas and had their faces painted before jumping into the bounce house will arrive, some undoubtedly wearing green and red, to have what has been deemed a “Jettmas” at his new park.
In addition to family and friends, representatives of Watsonville nonprofit Jacob’s Heart will be present to honor Jett Ramsey. The Ramsey family turned to Jacob’s Heart whenit found out about its youngest’s diagnosis just before his fourth birthday. Since the partnership, Jacob’s Heart Executive Director Heidi Boyton said this week, the Ramseys have become a beacon of light in the darkness for other local families affected by pediatric cancer.
“They’re not only grieving the loss of Jett but also looking beyond that and saying, ‘How do we make his life matter?’ “Boyton said. “We are inspired by that.”
Jacob’s Heart provides anything a family needs to be present to care for their child as they go through hospital treatments. That could be one’s basic needs, such as groceries or transportation to the hospital, in addition to counseling or translation services.
“It’s a holistic view of, ‘How do we make sure families are empowered to care for their child?’” Boynton said. “It looks different for everyone, which is why our services are very a la carte.”
These offerings are available to all affected families, Boynton said, with the idea that caregivers should be able to have the burden of responsibility removed during an unprecedented time in their lives.
“I remember when I called (Jacob’s Heart) and I asked, ‘Do you help all walks of life?’ We own a home and do OK financially. But they said, ‘We help everyone,’” Amy Ramsey said. “It was huge, every little piece helped.”
Destined destination
The park features rubberized surfacing and a new play structure meant to improve accessibility and reflect the surrounding natural environment, the county said in a statement this month. Parts of the structure are green, Jett Ramsey’s favorite color. Nearby, a plaque in the Corralitos boy’s name provides a space that those who loved him will be able to remember him by forever.
“It’s pretty nostalgic that the park will be done (the week of) his birthday,” Amy Ramsey, Jett’s mom, said. “It’s the park I grew up going to as I lived a few blocks away. My mom took all my kids there when they were babies. They went to daycare right next to the park. It’s special that the stars aligned.”
The Ramseys’ neighbor, realtor Frank DeBernardo, approached the family to ask for permission to pursue working with the county to use the park’s transformation to remember their son. His act, as well as those of neighbors to fundraise enough money for the dedication, was an act of communal kindness.
“All these people came together during this really horrible time,” Amy Ramsey said both about the trials of the pandemic and the weight of losing her child. “It does take a village… it’s hard moving on, moving forward, but we are doing it.”
DeBernardo worked with Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend and his office to gather several hundred thousand dollars after an initial, anonymous donor gave $10,000 to the cause before the Ramseys even found out their son was sick.
“County Park Friends, the nonprofit partner to the County Parks, were a critical piece to the puzzle as they were able to put together the last big pieces of fundraising while also helping to guide the design efforts of the park renovations,” County Parks Director Jeff Gaffney said. “We had the enthusiastic support of the County Parks Commission and this would not have happened without Zach Friend’s dogged determination to get us across the finish line.”
Gaffney said that the county is thrilled that future generations will benefit from Jett Ramsey’s inspiration’s legacy: One of love, light and laughter.
“Nothing good can ever be said about the loss of a child but at least this can be a place of reflection and joy for others that was inspired by Jett,” he said.