Every Mother’s Day is special for Kim Lue but this past Sunday will be one to never forget.
Lue is the mother of the Head Coach Tyronn Lue of the National Basketball Association’s …
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Every Mother’s Day is special for Kim Lue but this past Sunday will be one to never forget.
Lue is the mother of the Head Coach Tyronn Lue of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Los Angeles Clippers. She and scores of people were on hand Sunday, May 14, for the unveiling of Tyronn Lue Park, formerly Garfield Park on the southeast side of town. Lue told the Ledger she could not have asked for a better day.
“This is a great Mother’s Day gift,” Lue said. “If I didn’t get anything else this was wonderful for me.”
Lue described her feelings as including joy and happiness but most of all she was excited for the day and hopes the community feels the same way.
“I’m just hoping that everybody else is excited because I never thought it would happen, but it did,” Lue said.
The historical and cultural significance is hard to ignore. Garfield Park is located on the site of the former Garfield School, an all-black school, that closed in the 1970s after segregation ended in the United States. The building was purchased and eventually razed but a memorial bench remains. The only remaining part of the school is now occupied by a credit union.
The significance is also not lost on Lue or her family. Lue said she sees the renaming of the park after her son as a sign things are progressing in our society.
“It’s like a light has come on after being in the darkness for so long and everybody is finally seeing through the darkness,” Lue said. “We’re going forward and we can look up now and not keep our heads down. We can look up and see what the world is coming to and we can look up and see joy, peace, and happiness right here.”
Lue said she’s thankful to the city of Mexico for all they have done for her son and hopes the city can grow from this.
“The city should be happy that everything is changing and not remaining the same,” Lue said. “If everything remains the same we can’t grow. We’re trying to grow and I’m excited for the city.”
