Parents and loved ones of a deceased Broadneck High School graduate gathered in his honor on Saturday for a playground dedication at a new daycare center.

John "J.T." Sackett III, a former varsity soccer captain at Broadneck High School, was attending the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2009 when he was killed while surfing on the water after lightning struck nearby.

Sackett still has a host of friends in Broadneck, many of whom turned up Saturday for the grand opening of a daycare center. The playground in front of My Time Daycare Center has been dedicated to him.

Daycare owner Jodi Baldwin said her son was a close friend of Sackett’s from his time at BHS, and naming the playground after him made sense.

Baldwin spoke during the grand opening of the business about how Sackett was a ray of sunshine to those who knew him. Some of those who knew him then sang "Mr. Sun."

Then it was off to the ribbon cutting for the playground outside. Two pairs of hands held the oversized scissors, Baldwin and Sackett's mother, Vicki Howard. As the ribbon was cut, dozens of balloons were released into the air.

My Time Daycare Center will formally open for business on Jan. 30. It is located at 339 Buschs Frontage Rd. in Annapolis. For more information, contact Baldwin at MyTime41@yahoo.com.