Luminaries lit to honor those lost in the pandemic

Volunteers work to place 50 luminaries in Harbor Park to commemorate the more than 500,000 people who have died in the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy of Denny Fitzpatrick

Members of the community came together in Harbor Park on Wednesday evening, April 28, to remember the more than 500,000 people lost in the last year because of COVID-19 and to commemorate and thank all the people who have served the public during this trying time.

The somber occasion also acknowledged the struggle folks have gone through and are continuing to go through in the face of this pandemic.

Fifty luminaries were lit in remembrance of those who have died. Prayers, poems, songs, and music were played.

“Every Luminary bag represents not one thousand, not two thousand, but ten thousand souls that we have lost. Ten thousand!” said a visibly shaken Denny Fitzpatrick, who moderated the ceremony.

Fitzpatrick thanked all the churches who pulled the commemoration together, especially Pastor Eno, “who shepherded this and put the event together.”

Fitzpatrick noted and thanked Sawtooth Clinic Pharmacy for donating the luminary bags and he thanked volunteers from Arrowhead Indivisible who put together the luminaires.

“We are fortunate in Cook County we have been spared some of the grief that the whole nation has endured and that’s thanks to the people I want to point out,” said Fitzgerald.

“Most of all, I want to thank all of the people on the front lines who have literally put their lives on the line for us: The health care providers, the doctors, nurses, first responders, police, volunteers at the vaccination clinics, health care partners, they have risked their lives for us,” he said. He also thanked the workers in the community who kept everything together while working at risk themselves.

“I want to thank the grocery store workers for our food security, hardware store workers, plumbers, and electricians, everyone who helped keep us alive through this pandemic. They risked their lives for us, and I want to express gratitude and appreciation to them.”

He finished by asking the audience to clap for those selfless volunteers and the event ended while the healing continued, and will continue, into the long good night.