YouTube, Inside EditionDads’ care for their children may not be shown as obviously as moms do, but they have their unique ways of showing how much their kids mean to them.
Meet Morgan
YouTube, Inside Edition12-year-old Morgan Hartman is one of the luckiest girls in the world to ever have a father who looks after her, especially when it comes to her special needs as someone with the cognitive understanding of a five-year-old and severe autism.
A Heartbreaking Event
UnsplashMorgan’s dad, Gordon Hartman, learned that she got rejected by kids playing in a pool while they were on a family holiday. She tried to make friends with them but they all left.
A Grand Gesture
YouTube, Inside EditionBecause he didn’t want his daughter to miss out on a fun childhood, Gordon decided to build a theme park that’s inclusive enough to accommodate kids with special needs like his daughter, and named it “Morgan’s Wonderland.”
Her Own Theme Park
YouTube, Inside EditionGordon consulted with doctors, therapists, parents, and other people with and without disabilities and started the construction in 2007. The theme park opened on April 10, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas on the 25-acre site of an abandoned quarry.
A Water Park
UnsplashIn 2017, Gordon also added a waterpark right beside the theme park called “Morgan’s Inspiration Island.” He said, “Fewer people were visiting in July because the wheelchairs got too hot. So we decided to create a water park next door”.
Free Access
UnsplashEntrance to the park is free to anyone with special needs. Gordon said, “We open every year knowing we’re going to lose over $1m (£750,000) and we need to recover that through fundraising and partners.”
Promoting Inclusivity
YouTube, Inside EditionGordon is very much satisfied with the outcome of his theme park. He said, “It helps people realize that though we are different in some ways, actually we are all the same,” and he has agreed to collaborate with anyone who wants to build a theme park like Morgan’s Wonderland elsewhere.
Her Favorite Spots
YouTube, Inside EditionMorgan is now in her mid-20s and, of course, she still visits the theme park. Her favorite places are the swings and the sand zone and probably the whole theme park as it is built for her by her most loving dad.
Watch the video below to know more about Morgan and Gordon’s story.
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