TUCSON, ARIZ. (KGUN) — People gathered at Brandi Fenton Memorial Park on Saturday to honor family and friends that passed away from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We celebrate their lives. We’re walking for them. And to let everybody know that they’re always going to live in our memories," said Maria Suarez. Her husband died in January of 2021 due to COVID-19. She not only participates in this walk for her husband, but she says she does it for every life that was impacted.
The Yellow Heart Memorial aims to humanize every victim lost due to the pandemic. “I created the first memorial in my backyard, and then I went to a community level, and from there it actually went global," said Rosie Davis, founder of Yellow Heart Memorial.
Some members with Pima County Health Department were at the event this morning handing out supplies. They were giving away free COVID-19 test kits, Narcan, sunscreen, tissues, hand-sanitizer, and more.
“Some of us have become very close family. So it makes me feel good that we have these events and people fly all over the country just to be with other people who have been through this tragic loss," Davis said.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there have been 10 COVID-related deaths in Arizona during the first week of September this year.
It has been four years since the World Health Organization characterized the outbreak as a pandemic. According to Northwestern Medicine, "on January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced it will end the COVID-19 public health emergency declarations on May 11, 2023."
