Wilson Miracle League field dedicated to young murder victim Cannon Hinnant, who was 5 years old

WILSON, N.C. (WTVD) -- After six years and more than $1 million, the City of Wilson is ready to play ball.

On Thursday night, players, families, and special guests gathered to cut the ribbon for the new home of the Wilson Miracle League and the brand-new Cannon Hinnant Field.

The field is named after Cannon, a 5-year-old who was killed back in August 2020.

His mother, Bonny Parker, was a guest of honor at Thursday night's ceremonial first game where she threw out the first pitch.

Parker told ABC11 that she hopes the new state-of-the-art facility will inspire and bring hope to those who play here for years to come.

"You could turn a tragedy into something special ... we wanted to do something good out of what happened ... and we turned it into this and we go back to our community, and I'm glad to know that my son's name is out there and that we, on a personal level, and I've been waiting to see this all come together and this is just amazing, the turnout, the kids, the smiles on their faces," Parker said. "It's just awesome. They deserve this"

The new facility at the J. Burt Gillette Athletic Complex is wheelchair accessible and built to accommodate players of all levels and abilities.