Community unites for playground to honour young Zeke

A Southland family are spearheading a playground expansion to commemorate the sudden passing of their young son on what would have been his 10th birthday.

It is the third fundraiser and working bee fronted by dairy farmers Ella and Matthew King aimed to memorialise their son Zeke, who passed away at just 14 months old from Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC).

SUDC is a rare diagnosis specific to children over 12 months, stemming from unexplained death following a thorough investigation.

On May 14, 2015, Ella King and her son had a picnic lunch with a friend at the Clinton Triangle playground, close to the town’s centre on State Highway 1, when they both commented on the lack of equipment for toddlers.

That night, after being put to bed happy and healthy, Zeke passed away quietly in his sleep.

In the months after his death, friends, family and the Clinton community rallied around Ella and Matthew, raising funds for a toddler playground that was eventually erected at the Clinton Triangle, along with a plaque in memory of Zeke.

"His little life, 14 months, he has literally left such an imprint on so many people’s lives," said Ella King.

"We wanted to create something positive in Zeke’s memory."

Among friends and family of the Kings, the playground has become affectionately known as Zeke’s Playground.

"It just reminds us no one’s forgotten about him, and we’re doing something nice in his memory for the community. People just love it, they love us, they love Zeke, and it’s very nice. It’s really special."

In March of 2017, Ella and Matthew got married, and held part of their ceremony at Zeke’s Playground.

In 2019, on what would have been Zeke’s fifth birthday, the King family and their community again raised funds for another piece of playground equipment, a spinning lantern, this time aimed at five-year-olds.

This year, the couple are hoping to raise funds for a new piece of equipment aimed at children around 10 years old.

"We don’t really know what he would be like or anything ... You’re just sort of thinking, ‘I wonder what Zeke would be like.’ Every day is hard, but it’s just another day for us."

As well as dairy farming, the Kings also co-own the Clinton pub, which is near the playground, which Ella drives past nearly every day.

"There’s always kids on the playground, and strangers and adults reading the plaque, and even though they don’t know him that, they’re in that thinking of him."

A working bee will take place at the playground on Zeke’s birthday in May, including a complete tidy-up of the park and the installation of the new play equipment.

Ella King said a huge number of community members came out to support the previous working bees, including labour from registered builders to install the equipment.

Following this year’s fundraiser and working bee, King said she isn’t sure what would be next but plans to continue memorialising her son in the future through other means.

Ella said there were still many questions surrounding Zeke’s succumbing to SUDC, though his case was being included as part of a study by researchers which may help prevent the condition in the future.

"They might find out one day why people just fall asleep and don’t wake up ... We didn’t smoke, we had good bedding, we had a warm house, we ticked all the safe sleeping rules, he didn’t sleep in our bed ... But they can still still can just fall asleep and not wake up. There are no answers to why he died."