Somewhere Over Greenfield Lake: Rainbow Bridge tribute for pets

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A new memorial is being created at Greenfield Lake Park to honor pets who have died.

The project is a collaboration between Susan Chesson, founder of The Big Paw Project, and 14-year-old Life Scout Andrew Fairfull. Chesson’s nonprofit supports animal shelters and rescue groups by providing supplies and resources. Now, she is expanding that mission to create a space for pet owners to grieve and remember their animals.

“We wanted to kind of recreate it as a tribute not only to them but also to all of the animals here in our wonderful community,” Chesson said.

The memorial is modeled after the original Rainbow Bridge at Lake Lure, which was destroyed by Hurricane Helene. The bridge is being created with permission from the City of Wilmington’s Parks and Recreation Department and is supported by community sponsors, including Home Depot.

“Greenfield Lake in itself is just so special to a lot of us and just—you can’t beat this scenery. So I think it’s going to be a really wonderful place for people to come find peace and solace after their animals have died,” Chesson said.

Fairfull needed a service project to qualify for the rank of Eagle Scout. When he reached out to the city, he found out about Chesson’s efforts.

“I decided to do this because I wanted to do something for animals and just help out the community when I can,” Fairfull said.
“I was emailing Parks and Recs and they were telling me there was already someone that was trying to do this, and I was like, well that works perfectly so I wouldn’t have to build a whole bridge.”

Chesson said working together made the project possible.

“He’s really a remarkable young man and it’s a big deal to get your Eagle Scout,” she said.
“We kind of just put our proposals together and came up with a new plan—and here we are. So we’re really excited to present it to the community. We both worked really hard on it.”

Once complete, Chesson says the Rainbow Bridge will be open to the public. No donation or purchase is necessary to visit or leave a tribute.

“Anyone is invited to come out and visit—and please leave a token of your animal in remembrance of them. So if you want to hang a collar, a leash—if you want to just sit in silence with it,” she said.

The bridge is expected to be completed by Friday, with a dedication ceremony planned for 9:30 a.m. It will also include benches to honor fallen service animals and the pets who died during Hurricane Helene.