KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) – A Wyandotte County deputy killed in the line of duty four months ago will be forever remembered at the baseball diamond where he played as a child.
The Unified Government Commission resolved Thursday night to rename Heathwood Park Baseball Field as Elijah Ming Memorial Field, honoring the deputy who spent countless hours on the field growing up in the neighborhood.
Deputy Ming’s name is etched in the county’s fallen deputy memorial, honoring his service and sacrifice. But his service to the community extended beyond the badge.
Ming grew up on 10th and Walker, routinely walking to Heathwood Park at 1021 Parallel Parkway to play baseball and football. The field was in rough condition, his father said, but Ming didn’t care — he just wanted to play.
A Wyandotte County deputy killed in the line of duty four months ago will be forever remembered at the baseball diamond where he played as a child.(KCTV5/Betsy Webstery)
Ming’s family decided to transform the park into a place where other kids would want to spend time. Ming joined his parents and brothers, mowing grass and cleaning up litter.
“Our whole goal was to keep them out of trouble, to keep them off the streets,” said Mark Ming, Elijah’s father.
His parents eventually created a Little League football and baseball team.
In college, Ming earned a baseball scholarship as a pitcher. After his playing days ended, he continued his connection to youth sports.
A Wyandotte County deputy killed in the line of duty four months ago will be forever remembered at the baseball diamond where he played as a child.(KCTV5/Betsy Webstery)
“He ended up coaching, mentoring other kids,” Mark Ming said.
Ming followed in his father’s footsteps when he became a law enforcement officer, choosing to serve the community he loved. But what he did for a living was less important to his father than who he was as a person.
“He was a good guy. He treated everybody with respect, regardless of who they were,” Mark Ming said. “He always greeted people with a smile, and he hoped that when he left them, they left with a smile.”
Deputy Ming’s family was in the audience when the commission voted to rename the ball field. The moment drew applause, but Mark Ming knows the most emotional moment is yet to come.
A Wyandotte County deputy killed in the line of duty four months ago will be forever remembered at the baseball diamond where he played as a child.(Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office)
“There will come a time when his son, Elijah the second, is going to ask me about his father and to tell him everything about him,” Mark Ming said. “And I’m going to take him to that park and we’re going to sit down and I’ll tell him just what a great guy he was and I’ll apologize to him that I can’t possibly fill his shoes, because I love him so much and I miss him. And he’s missing out on probably the best father that ever could’ve been.”
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for mid-December.
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