09/21/2026
A Garden in Memory of Lashunn
Lashunn was one of the Training Counselors at Oak Leyden's Hillside Day Program. Her presence brought warmth, kindness, and encouragement to the lives of the people she served. During her 15 years with Oak Leyden, she became much more than a staff member. She was a familiar face, a trusted friend, and a source of support for countless individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
When Lashunn passed away, the sadness felt throughout Hillside was difficult to put into words. Staff and participants mourned the loss deeply. They remembered her smile, her laughter, her patience, and the countless small moments that made her such an important part of their lives.
As time passed, staff and participants began searching for a meaningful way to honor her memory. A few months before her passing, Lashunn had shared an idea close to her heart. Gardening was one of her favorite hobbies, and she had spoken with Assistant Director Michelle Reynolds about creating a garden at Hillside that participants could help build and maintain together.
Inspired by that vision, staff and participants chose a special place where the garden would take root. They gathered flowers, vegetable plants, soil, stones, decorations, and tools. Everyone found a way to contribute.
Some participants helped prepare the soil. Others planted flowers and vegetables or spent time watering the new garden beds. Michelle Reynolds, Assistant Director of Community Day Services, led the effort and dedicated more than 30 hours to helping create the beautiful space. Participants selected flowers they believed Lashunn would have loved and chose vegetables such as cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, and peppers to grow and nurture. Others decorated the garden with colorful stones and meaningful signs.
There was laughter as everyone worked side by side. Stories about Lashunn were shared between planting and watering. Some memories brought smiles, while others brought tears.
Yet with every flower and vegetable that was planted, grief slowly began to give way to something beautiful.
The garden became more than a collection of flowers and plants. It became a place where memories could grow.
A special memorial bearing Lashunn's name was placed within the garden. It serves as a reminder that although she is no longer physically present, the kindness, compassion, and joy she shared continue to live on in the lives she touched.
Today, the participants at Hillside CDS take great pride in caring for the garden. They water the flowers, pull weeds, and watch the plants flourish throughout the seasons. Staff members continue to maintain the garden alongside them, ensuring that it remains a vibrant reflection of the person who inspired it.
And whenever someone asks why the garden is so special, the answer is simple:
"This is Lashunn's garden."
It was built by many hands, but rooted in one shared purpose: to honor someone who made a lasting difference in so many lives.
The garden has taught everyone an important lesson. Even when someone we love is no longer with us, the love they shared does not disappear. It lives on through kindness, friendship, memories, and the things we create together.
Every flower became a symbol of Lashunn's life.
Every new bloom became a reminder of the joy she brought to others.
And every person who helps care for the garden becomes part of her enduring legacy.
Lashunn may no longer walk through the doors of Hillside or sit beside the people she once supported, but her spirit continues to grow there each day, reflected in every blossom, every harvest, and every act of care shared in her memory.
Her life planted seeds of kindness.
Her memory became the garden.
And her legacy continues to bloom
