Austen Russell’s name could grace Henderson park

Nine-year-old Austen Russell couldn’t wait for the new park across the street to open.

A neighbor recalled hearing about Austen and a friend giving their parents fair warning: “Just so you know, we’re not coming home after school.”

If anyone needed them, they’d be on the courts. And if that meant they had to carry basketballs around all day in their backpacks, so be it.

Austen, a basketball fanatic who also played soccer and football, didn’t get to see the opening of Henderson’s Paradise Pointe Park. And now his father and friends of the family want the city to honor him by giving the park a new name: Austen Russell Memorial Park.

On May 30 — 25 days after his ninth birthday — Austen died when his father accidentally backed over him in the family’s driveway, Henderson police said.

Michelle Hanief Nelson, a friend of the Russells, said the idea of renaming the park came from Austen’s father, Troy Russell.

“He said his biggest fear is that Austen will be forgotten,” Nelson said, recalling their conversation.

At Paradise Pointe Park, which is still under construction just across Horizon Ridge Parkway from Austen’s home, a fence was nearly filled Monday with tributes to Austen.

Dozens of white cups stuck in the fence spelled out “Austen Russell Memorial Park” and, further down, “Austen Fan #3” for his jersey number. Homemade posters almost all included the number, too.

“He would have lived at that park,” said Danielle Avila, whose backyard borders the Russells’ in the Horizon Estates neighborhood.

The park is scheduled to open later this year. City spokeswoman Kathy Blaha said Nelson spoke with Mayor Andy Hafen and some city staffers about having it renamed for Austen. Nelson is a member of the city’s Parks and Recreation Board but said she is acting only as a family friend.

As of Monday, no decision had been made. A “working group” of city staff will gather information for interim City Manager Bristol Ellington, who will decide whether to recommend that the City Council change the name, Blaha said.

Already, the park will include memorial benches for Austen. But Nelson said Troy Russell would love to see the whole park named for his son.

A friend who answered the door at the Russell family’s home Monday afternoon said: “They just kind of want their peace here.”

Austen’s death has led people across the city and beyond to honor him. Hundreds, including Austen’s teammates and coaches, gathered Thursday at Mission Hills Park. They released a cloud of of balloons into the air, including one in the shape of a “3.”

Austen was a huge Brigham Young University Cougars fan, his family said in an obituary, and always watched the team’s basketball and football games on TV with his dad.

KSL-TV in Salt Lake City reported that former BYU athletes including Kyle Van Noy, now a Detroit Lions linebacker, and basketball player Tyler Haws posted messages of support for Austen online. So did BYU football coach Bronco Mendenhall.

A six-day-old fundraising page had raised more than $14,000 as of Monday, with the money slated for memorials for Austen and other projects.

Review-Journal writer Carri Geer Thevenot contributed to this report. Contact Eric Hartley at ehartley@reviewjournal.com or 702-550-9229. Find him on Twitter: @ethartley