The City of Chattanooga released a video and website today honoring the lives of the several hundred Hamilton County residents who have died of COVID-19 since March 2020.
Chattanooga is one of hundreds of American cities participating in a nationwide COVID-19 memorial organized by the inaugural committee of President-elect Joe Biden.
“It can be really hard to grasp what it means for our community when we lose more than 300 lives from this virus in less than a year,” said Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke. “These people are more than a number. They are friends, colleagues, and loved ones, which is why we wanted to find a way to celebrate their lives and memories in a safe and lasting way.”
The COVID-19 Memorial Project website will allow community members to publicly share information about their loved ones who died from COVID-19. The Mayor’s office is encouraging people to visit cha.city/covidmemorial to submit photos, stories, and words of inspiration about their lost loved ones as a way of honoring their memories.
Additionally, the City and Public Art Chattanooga worked with local artists to create a video tribute titled “Seat of Honor ” which depicts a local frontline healthcare worker, who has spent the last 10 months caring for people in the COVID ICU, leaving her shift and visiting a tribute that honors the lives lost in 2020.
While the video references the 280 Hamilton County deaths in 2020, the website is for anyone who has lost a loved one to COVID since its arrival in our community.
The City of Chattanooga worked with the Hamilton County Health Department to confirm the number of lives lost from March 25, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
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