On July 21, 2010, Ann Pabo and her son Connele were killed, victims of domestic violence. Pabo and her 13-year-old son were murdered by the boy’s father who then committed suicide. Exactly one year later, a dogwood tree was planted at the John Walsh Memorial Park in East Northport in memory of the mother and son. That same year, the playground in the park was also dedicated in their memory.
But over the following ten years, the tree did not survive and a memorial sign installed back then had weathered.
In 2020, the Huntington Town Board approved up to $525,000 in Environmental Open Space & Park Funds for a new playground at John Walsh Memorial Park, removing old equipment and sand-based playgrounds, and installing new ADA-accessible play structures and swing sets with safety surfacing.
The new playground finally opened in March 2022, a new memorial sign was fabricated by the Huntington Highway Department and installed on the new playground fence in April 2022, and a new redbud tree was planted in May 2022.
On July 21, 2022, 12 years after their tragic deaths, members of the community came together for a ribbon-cutting for the new playground and the new tree planted in memory of Pabo and her son. Leonard and Allen Pabo, brothers of Ann Pabo, attended the ceremony along with Bill Walsh and family of John Walsh, the former Highway Superintendent for whom the park is named.
Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth said that the renovated playground at John Walsh Memorial Park is one of many park improvements the towen’s engineering team has tackled after battling global supply shortages and other challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Ann and Connele's Playground and the newly planted redbud tree will honor their memory and make sure our community never forgets these community members, whose lives were tragically cut short twelve years ago,” said Smyth.