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MikeA
11-05-2008, 05:46 PM
Most of you who are Joe Walsh fans, know of Emma, Joe's daughter who was killed in an automobile accident less than one month from her 3rd birthday.

Joe wrote a song in his grief "Song For Emma" and included it on "So What".

I had read the story as told by Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) of the trip to Boulder, Colorado that Joe took her on when Stevie was in a particular funk while performing in Denver. I did Internet searches until I was blue in the face trying to find the name of the park to no avail.

I was on a Motorcycle Tour in 2005 to Estes Park along with several hundred other Motorcycle Riders. Two of the guys agreed to accompany me to Boulder to try and find that Park that Joe took Stevie to in order to show her that whatever it was that was bothering her wasn't nearly as devastating as problems could become.

It was in that Park that Joe had a fountain for young children erected.

After a lot of searching, I found the park and eventually the fountain.

If you left click on any of the images in the viewing frame, they will be enlarged to full size. You'll need to do that to read the plaque. If you left-click on the expanded image, you will return to the navigation and viewing window.

I have put the pictures I took there into an album and posted it HERE (http://www.mvabercrombie.net/walsheagles/masteralbum.html).

I struggled a long time (4 years) over whether or not to publish these photos.

I still get teary when I think about that tragic incident. But today, I decided that if Joe erected a memorial fountain to his daughter's memory, he did so for two reasons. First that the children could easily get a drink of water. And second, I do not think he would want his daughter to be forgotten.

ticky
11-05-2008, 05:54 PM
Good for you Mike. They're wonderful pictures and a terrific story. Thanks so much for sharing them *G*

Prettymaid
11-05-2008, 06:06 PM
Struggle no longer Mike - you did a good thing.

TimothyBFan
11-05-2008, 06:28 PM
Thank you Mike-very touching.

DonFan
11-05-2008, 07:57 PM
Thanks so much for sharing that with us, Mike.

Peekaboo
11-06-2008, 02:48 AM
Wow, i've always wondered what that fountain looked like. Thanks for sharing those Mike. Those are really great photos.

Brooke
11-06-2008, 11:13 AM
Thanks so much for sharing that, Mike.

What a lovely tribute to his daughter.

Maleah
11-07-2008, 01:01 AM
Not gonna lie, I got a little teary eyed when looking at the pics and reading the story...even though I knew about it before. So sad.:( Thanks for sharing the pics!

sodascouts
11-07-2008, 02:24 PM
Lovely post, Mike. I'm glad you got to share a little about Emma with people. Can you believe she would have been around 38 now? Thanks for the photos, too.

glenneaglesfan
11-07-2008, 03:05 PM
Aw Mike, thanks for posting up those pictures. It's a touching memorial to little Emma, and it's good to know that children are still using it.

sodascouts
08-14-2011, 01:03 AM
I visited this park as well when I went up to Colorado. It was a clear, sunny day and the park was full of families and little children enjoying themselves. Very sweet. Here are the photos I took:

The plaque (located in the left corner by the fountain)

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/glennfreyonline/redrocks2011/EmmasPlaque.jpg

Facing out:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/glennfreyonline/redrocks2011/EmmasFountain02.jpg

Facing the park:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/glennfreyonline/redrocks2011/EmmasFountain04.jpg


Some more details about the fountain, according to Stevie:

The reason Joe chose to build a fountain in Emma's memory was because when they visited the park, she was always disappointed that she couldn't reach the water fountain herself. She wasn't tall enough. After her death, Joe built this small one that would have been just the right height for her to drink from.

Brooke
08-15-2011, 10:22 AM
Bittersweet. It's a lovely park with the mountains there in the background.

Ive always been a dreamer
08-15-2011, 07:55 PM
Aw - thanks for posting that, Soda. I would like to visit Emma's fountain one day too. Now, that I have a niece living in Colorado, I just may be able to manage it on one of my visits out there.

Prettymaid
08-16-2011, 12:40 PM
Very touching.

tequila mockingbird
02-06-2016, 08:14 PM
I found this 2010 interview with Joe's ex-wife, Stefany, regarding Emma's death and the subsequent tribute fountain. Touching...and sad.

http://www.dailycamera.com/features/ci_16348612

Tiffanny Twisted
02-07-2016, 12:17 PM
Beautiful memorial

Brooke
02-08-2016, 03:45 PM
What a sweet little girl. Any time I hear of a small child or baby being hurt it just breaks my heart. :sad:

Girl From Yesterday
03-18-2016, 07:16 PM
What a beautiful child, and what a heartbreaking story .

sodascouts
03-19-2016, 08:10 PM
Yes, heartbreaking indeed. I can't even imagine how painful it must be to lose one's child.

NightMistBlue
03-22-2016, 12:10 PM
She was such a beautiful little girl too.

Eagles7
06-23-2016, 05:22 AM
Thank you for posting pictures and the article interviewing Joes first wife. What a tragedy. I liked seeing the view of the mountains and could envision Joe out mowing his lawn and then getting Rocky Mountain Way going in his head.

You know on one of Howard Stern's interviews with Joe he kept pressing Joe about why he went so hard with the drugs for so long and were his parents alcoholics, etc. I just wanted to yell at Howard, Did you do your research? He lost his little daughter in a horrible accident. I'm not saying that everyone who loses a child becomes an addict, but I feel like it certainly was a factor for Joe because that pain was so great!