Honoring the life of the six-year-old boy, Wadee AlFayoumi, who was brutally murdered in a hate crime stabbing, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, helped dedicate a sensory playground on World Peace Day, Sunday. The park is in the Plainfield Park District’s Van Horn Woods East, 17200 W. Frontage Rd., Plainfield.
Wadee AlFayoumi, a Palestinian American Muslim child was the first American casualty, death and murder in the United States during the war on Gaza. He and his mother, Hanaan Shaheen, were brutally attacked by their landlord, Josephy Czuba, who has since been sentenced to 53 years in prison. Shaheen survived the attack.
The playground features a plaque which reads, “Wadee’s love of play and serving as a reminder of the importance of inclusivity, understanding and community support.”
The Illinois legislature unanimously passed a statewide resolution establishing September 21, 2025 as Wadee Day in Illinois. It was a call to resist hate crime and dehumanization and to remember children like Wadee. A Wadee Monument was installed at the same park in June.
