Emmy Award Noms For Toms River ‘Field Of Dreams’ Docs

TOMS RIVER, NJ - A Toms River recreation park for special needs children that opened last year is the subject of two documentaries that were recently nominated for New York Emmy Awards.

ABC's "Field of Dreams is Heaven on Earth for Special Needs Families," which centers around the Toms River park, has been nominated for the Societal Concerns- Short Form Content; the PBS/News12 production "Field of Dreams” is up for the Sports Story-News prize.

Helmed by High School North teacher Christian Kane, the park was designed to provide special needs children with the chance to play sports in an equitable environment, as well as accommodations for families to stay at the recreation facility for several hours.

Kane, a teacher at Toms River High School North, and his wife, Mary, whose son, Gavin, suffered a severe traumatic brain injury when Kane's van was hit by a truck in 2012, when Gavin was 19 months old.

The park also touts restrooms to accommodate older children and adults who need assistance, charging stations for electric wheelchairs and surfaces that accommodate children of all abilities.

"We are so thankful to the teams at ABC and PBS for sharing our story, and a major congratulations to those behind the scenes of each documentary," said Field of Dreams Assistant Program Director Brielle Mowad.

The ABC doc can be viewed here, and the PBS production can be viewed here.