FARGO — It’s an honor to write this week’s garden column about a project that is impacting lives in our region. Fargo’s Garden of Healing provides serene beauty for everyone seeking quiet comfort after losing a loved one, dealing with sickness or pain, or just needing a space to think and reflect.
The story began June 28, 2018, when Sarah Fisher received the worst call a mother could imagine. Her 22-year-old son,
Cameron Bolton, had been in a car accident.
Her greatest fear soon became reality when he was pronounced brain dead.
Sarah knew he still had so much more to give, so she, along with
Cameron’s family, decided to donate his organs, and there was comfort in knowing he was improving or saving the lives of others.
On his final day, as his family surrounded him in the hospital room, and with no rain in sight, a full rainbow reached out as if to embrace the sky over Fargo.
From that unthinkable loss came inspiration for hope. Sarah and her husband, Arlin, made it their mission to educate others on organ donation, so they created
Crosses for Cameron, a nonprofit organization seeking to improve the lives of organ donors and recipients.
Garden of Healing is a place of quiet beauty for anyone seeking comfort or peace.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
In 2020, still grieving, Sarah and Arlin decided to create a place where anyone could come for healing. They visualized a place in a central location where one could sit in prayer and meditation while enjoying the quiet calm of nature, a sanctuary with all-season, all-day access, having flowers, fountains, trees, eternal flames and more. It would be a garden of healing.
By April 2021, their proposal for
The Garden of Healing
was approved by the Fargo Park Board on land by Urban Plains Park, perfectly situated between Sanford and Essentia Hospitals at 3020 51st St. S. In May of that year, they held the groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 1, with then-Gov. Doug Burgum, local mayors and a crowd of more than 250 attending.
Phase 1 is completed and is a beautiful space, open to all. Phase 2 will be even more phenomenal, approximately the size of a football field. With an estimated cost of $1.5 million, the Fishers knew it was time for fundraising for Phase 2. The recent Red River Valley Garden Tour raised more than $12,000, which was donated to the Garden of Healing.
“Ideally, we would love to raise funds in 2025 and then break ground in 2026,” Arlin said.
He explained that beyond the cost of the actual garden, fundraising will also be used to ensure that the grounds are well cared for for generations to come. All work is being fully funded through community donations.
Loved ones can be memorialized with bricks or garden features.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
Phase 2 will include well-planned and innovative features, including the Healing Hotline, which some call a “phone of the wind,” a therapeutic way to talk to loved ones who have passed, by speaking into an actual telephone.
“It brings up a lot of emotions, but it’s good emotions,” Sarah said. “It’s a good way to not hold it all inside and to have a positive way to manage your grief.”
The Healing Hotline telephone will be surrounded by a series of 4-to-8-foot concrete monoliths to provide a private, natural place for visitors to reach out to loved ones who have passed away. Arlin and Sarah say this will be the first in the state, and the concrete is planned to be poured this month.
The creativity of Phase 2 includes too many unique facets to describe adequately. For a better appreciation of the scope of this project, take a virtual walk of Phase 2 at
gardenofhealingpark.org.
“Even though this garden stemmed from the loss of Cameron, we want it to be a place of life and living. All types of healing are welcome, from anyone who has lost a loved one, who knows someone struggling or sick, or someone who has regained life by a donor. We welcome all visitors, state and nationwide, and we want it to be a one-of-a-kind top 10 destination in North Dakota,” Sarah said.
The vision of becoming a regional destination isn’t a pipe dream. The Garden of Healing is situated at the center of Fargo’s health care community, which serves multiple states with five major facilities treating more than 1,000 patients at any one time within blocks of the garden.
The Garden of Healing is located in south Fargo between Sanford Medical Center and Essentia Health.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
The Garden of Healing is holding its annual brick ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14. This heartfelt event honors the memories, milestones and messages engraved on bricks placed throughout the garden’s pathways. Each brick tells a unique story commemorating loved ones, celebrating life, or offering words of hope.
The ceremony will feature the unveiling of newly placed bricks purchased this past year, which are placed annually in August. Attendees can walk through the garden’s paths, experience its tranquil features and connect with others in shared remembrance.
The ceremony is a moment for the community to come together in support and solidarity. Whether you’ve purchased a brick, wish to pay respects, or simply to enjoy the beauty of the space, all are welcome.
For more information or to donate online, visit
gardenofhealingpark.org
, or send donations to PO Box 36, Horace, ND 58047.
Comments are closed.