SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Illinois' governor and first lady announced the state will have a memorial to commemorate lives lost in the pandemic at the Governor's Executive Mansion.
Tuesday, March 16 is the one-year anniversary of the first know COVID-19 death in Illinois. In memory of this loss, First Lady MK Pritzker commissioned an installation to honor the Illinoisans who died from the virus since the pandemic started.
Illinoisans are invited to visit and pay tribute to loved ones by tying a ribbon that is provided on site at the perimeter of the installation. The setup features 102 wings representing the state's 102 counties. They together hold over 5,500 ribbons, with each representing about four people who died.
The ribbons are illuminated by glowing spheres that have a twofold purpose of remembering victims and representing the permanence of light in the darkest of times.
“This memorial offers all of our fellow Illinoisans a space to mourn our losses, individual and collective, in the name of healing,” said First Lady MK Pritzker and Governor JB Pritzker. “Together, one year into this pandemic, we honor those we’ve lost, as well as all the loved ones they left behind. It is through remembrance that we will move forward as one Illinois, committed to a shared vision of prosperity and hope. May the memories of those we’ve lost guide the way and be a blessing.”
The memorial will be on display in Springfield for one month, spanning from March 16 to April 17. The conclusion of the exhibit will mark one year since the governor directed all flags to be lowed to half staff on all public buildings and grounds to honor lives lost.
After the exhibit and the one-year anniversary of lowered flags, the governor will direct flags be returned to full staff on April 17.
Illinois had more than 23,000 deaths in the pandemic, including both confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths.
