Powerful photo tribute to over 900 people who died of COVID-19 gives 'people a last look at their loved ones'
The city of Detroit, Michigan, celebrated the life of more than 900 people who died of COVID-19 by hosting a drive-through memorial service.
On Monday, Belle Isle Park in Detroit displayed oversized photos of coronavirus victims, representing the bulk of the 1,500 city residents who died between March and August 18, according to the city.
The tribute was organized by Rochelle Riley, the city’s director of arts and culture, who in March started planning ways to honor the COVID-19 victims denied hospital visits or funerals due to visitor restrictions. “We were in a Zoom meeting with the mayor and a community member asked how the city can help everyone grieve,” Riley tells Yahoo Life. “I said, ‘Let’s figure out how to give people a last look at their loved ones.”
Displaying photos seemed like a powerful way to convey the human toll of the pandemic. “I wanted the photos to be big, to see what we lost, to take it seriously,” says Riley. “You can try to deny what’s happening in hospitals but when you see that many faces, there is no way to ignore it. Human beings were snatched from us and without their final moments with family members.”
In July, the city asked families to submit their favorite photos of their loved ones and hired a company to enlarge them. The 907 images were attached to wooden stakes on Belle Isle, a 982-acre park in the Detroit River.
On Monday, families and 15 empty hearses drove through the island while police cars flashed lights and bells rang from Comerica Park, the home of the Detroit Tigers baseball team. Families will receive the photos on Wednesday when the display is taken down.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also spoke at the event. “Last week, Michigan recorded our 100,000th case of COVID-19,” she said. “We’ve now lost more than 6,750 Michiganders, more than 1,500 here in Detroit. It’s easy to get numb in this environment.” Whitner also remembered Skylar Herbert, the 5-year-old daughter of two first responders, who according to NBC News, is believed to be the state’s youngest person to die after a COVID-19 diagnosis.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a press release, “Members of this community are grieving, it is important and necessary to provide an opportunity for families to celebrate those lost to this terrible disease and begin to heal. We are taking this time to reflect on what has been a very hard time for so many Detroiters and commemorate the lives of our neighbors who are no longer with us.”
The park opened Tuesday to the general public so anyone can view the memorial. According to Riley, the city is planning a second memorial for those who died during the pandemic for reasons unrelated to COVID-19 but who were denied funerals.
For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDC’s and WHO’s resource guides.
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