KarunaNews Story

Zachary’s Playground in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri, looks like a typical playground, but is fully inclusive for children of all abilities. Natalie Mackay, founder of Unlimited Play, a nonprofit dedicated to building accessible playgrounds for all children to play together, created it in 2003 for her late son Zachary, who had a rare genetic central nervous system disease and used a wheelchair or assistive walking device for mobility. Since then, Mackay’s nonprofit has helped launch over 100 inclusive playgrounds across the US, all built with insight from play experts, therapists, and parents of children with disabilities and critical illnesses. More than 20 years after Zachary’s Playground opened, Mackay continues to help build magical and accessible worlds for kiddos, paying tribute to her son, who passed away in 2021.