Plaque Honoring Teen Merrick Dunn Unveiled at Harry Harris Park South Field

Family, friends, teammates and community members gathered at the south field of Harry Harris Park on the evening of Feb. 28 as Upper Keys Little League opened its season to unveil a plaque honoring 15-year-old Merrick Dunn. The plaque, installed at the south field, marks the place where Dunn played and celebrates his connection to the game.

By the fields where Dunn played is a plaque honoring his love for the sport, the community said at the ceremony. Dunn tragically passed away in a car accident on May 5, 2025, at the age of 15, and organizers chose the season-opening event to dedicate the memorial at Harry Harris Park.

Monroe County Commissioner Holly Raschein helped bring the plaque to fruition, working with her colleagues on the county commission and John Allen, the county parks director, to arrange the memorial. Raschein said she was approached by Josh Moreira, Upper Keys Little League president, about memorializing Dunn; the league’s spring schedule provided the occasion for the dedication. “He was always at the park playing baseball. It was a big part of his life and family’s life,” Raschein said.

A large crowd of family, friends, teammates and the community looked on as the plaque was unveiled at the park, organizers reported. The ceremony coincided with the league’s opening activities at Harry Harris Park, which drew players and families to the ballfields for the start of the season. County parks staff coordinated the installation at the south field, and local league leaders helped stage the unveiling.

The plaque now stands at the south field of Harry Harris Park as a permanent tribute where Dunn played youth baseball. Monroe County’s parks office and Upper Keys Little League organized the dedication with assistance from Commissioner Raschein and parks director John Allen; Josh Moreira initiated the memorial request on behalf of the league. The memorial will remain in place through the Little League season as players return to the field where Dunn’s love of the sport is being remembered.