Blakely’s Butterfly

By Caroline Siegfried, Staff writer | December 19, 2025

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PATRONS for Bellaire Parks, Bellaire City Council and staff, and Bellaire neighbors came together to make the tribute happen. Bottom row: Cheryl Bright, Lindsey McCrory, Mayra Marshall and daughter Siobhan Kamdar, Dawn Bloomer, Lilly Gilmer, Chazley Dotson, Sharon Citino. Top row: Mark McCullough, Beth Jones, Catherine Lewis, Stephanie Tran, Gus Pappas, Amisha Dalwadi, Ryan Smith, Lisa Lim, Brian Witt, Rebecca Phillips, Johnnie Frazier, Tricia Pollard, Win Frazier. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
The sign marking the new play feature in honor of Blakely McCrory. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
Mayor Gus Pappas spoke about how the feature would serve as a reminder of Blakely's life and the community that loved her. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
A crowd of Bellaire neighbors and various loved ones came to Joe Gaither Park to dedicate the new Blakely's Butterfly play structure. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
PATRONS President Dawn Bloomer remarked: “We don’t move fast, typically, but we moved fast on this one.” (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
Blakely's mother, Lindsey McCrory, spoke about how her daughter had loved playing at the park. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
The live butterfly release began with Blakely's mother, Lindsey McCrory. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
Cheryl Bright and Ryan Smith both work for the City of Bellaire and helped put the effort together. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
After the ceremony ended, children went to play on the new structure. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
Kids enjoyed climbing high on the new butterfly structure. Pictured: Elle Hogan, Blakely's friend. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
Several other family members of the children lost at Camp Mystic, nicknamed "Heaven's 27," came to support Lindsey at the dedication. Bottom row, from left: Charley Dillon, Russel Jacobe, Samantha Jacobe, and Andrea Ferruzzo. Top row, from left: Patricia Bellows, Lacey Hollis, Sienna Hollis, Brandt Dillon, Lisa Dillon, Lindsey McCrory, Jennifer Getten, Chris Jacobe, and John Ferruzzo. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
A sign explains the significance of the Blakely's Butterfly feature to future park guests. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
After the butterflies were released, some of them came back to land on children's hands. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
Lindsey McCrory and her daughter Blakely's friend, Elle Hogan. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
Blakely's family members, from left: Chase McLeod, Joanie McLeod, Bennett Bowman, Meg Janek, Lindsey McCrory, and Sara McLeod. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)
Neighbor Kelly Parmet and Lindsey McCrory.

(Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

This Saturday, Bellaire neighbors gathered to honor the memory of 8-year-old Blakely McCrory. Blakely was one of 27 campers and counselors who lost their lives in the July 4th floods at Camp Mystic. In tribute, the community put up a new butterfly-themed play structure at Joe Gaither Park (4901 Mayfair St), named Blakely’s Butterfly.

The McCrory family lived just a few houses down from the park, and they spent many days there, as her mother Lindsey remembered at the ceremony: “[Blakely] didn’t have an after-school activity; she would be here. She would stand at the front door and hear children’s voices and – ‘Okay, Mom, it’s time to go!’”

Lindsey said Blakely had made “so many memories, so many friends” in the park. “We would play ice cream shop over here,” she pointed. “This is so dear to our heart. Bellaire is such a great place to raise children.”

Mayor Gus Pappas reflected: “Life and love is never forgotten when it lives on in our hearts and our minds.” He encapsulated the feeling of community, saying, “Lindsey, we are here for you, we are here for your family, and I hope that Blakely’s Butterfly is a constant reminder to all of us of that life and that love.”

The City of Bellaire, PATRONS for Bellaire Parks, and Bellaire residents came together to raise $25,000 for Blakely’s Butterfly. PATRONS president Dawn Bloomer said that PATRONS was honored to help with this initiative: “We don’t move fast, typically, but we moved fast on this one.” The ceremony ended with a beautiful live butterfly release. As the dedication drew to a close, it was clearly a perfect homage to the sweet little girl who loved butterflies – children reached out to nearby butterflies, who perched on their hands. Others climbed on the new butterfly-shaped climbing feature, a physical symbol of the love and care of this Bellaire community.

Editor’s note: For more about Blakely’s life, the McCrory family, and the Camp Mystic tragedy, read Before the Flood, After the Flood by Cindy Gabriel. Read Blakely’s obituary here.

PATRONS for Bellaire Parks, Bellaire City Council and staff, and Bellaire neighbors came together to make the tribute happen. Bottom row: Cheryl Bright, Lindsey McCrory, Mayra Marshall and daughter Siobhan Kamdar, Dawn Bloomer, Lilly Gilmer, Chazley Dotson, Sharon Citino. Top row: Mark McCullough, Beth Jones, Catherine Lewis, Stephanie Tran, Gus Pappas, Amisha Dalwadi, Ryan Smith, Lisa Lim, Brian Witt, Rebecca Phillips, Johnnie Frazier, Tricia Pollard, Win Frazier. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

The sign marking the new play feature in honor of Blakely McCrory. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

Mayor Gus Pappas spoke about how the feature would serve as a reminder of Blakely's life and the community that loved her. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

A crowd of Bellaire neighbors and various loved ones came to Joe Gaither Park to dedicate the new Blakely's Butterfly play structure. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

PATRONS President Dawn Bloomer remarked: “We don’t move fast, typically, but we moved fast on this one.” (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

Blakely's mother, Lindsey McCrory, spoke about how her daughter had loved playing at the park. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

The live butterfly release began with Blakely's mother, Lindsey McCrory. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

Cheryl Bright and Ryan Smith both work for the City of Bellaire and helped put the effort together. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

After the ceremony ended, children went to play on the new structure. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

Kids enjoyed climbing high on the new butterfly structure. Pictured: Elle Hogan, Blakely's friend. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

Several other family members of the children lost at Camp Mystic, nicknamed "Heaven's 27," came to support Lindsey at the dedication. Bottom row, from left: Charley Dillon, Russel Jacobe, Samantha Jacobe, and Andrea Ferruzzo. Top row, from left: Patricia Bellows, Lacey Hollis, Sienna Hollis, Brandt Dillon, Lisa Dillon, Lindsey McCrory, Jennifer Getten, Chris Jacobe, and John Ferruzzo. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

A sign explains the significance of the Blakely's Butterfly feature to future park guests. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

After the butterflies were released, some of them came back to land on children's hands. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

Lindsey McCrory and her daughter Blakely's friend, Elle Hogan. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)

Blakely's family members, from left: Chase McLeod, Joanie McLeod, Bennett Bowman, Meg Janek, Lindsey McCrory, and Sara McLeod. (Photo: Dee Zunker Photography)