The Beginning
“The memorial a very thoughtful expression of mourning for those who have died during the pandemic.”
About mid-November, 2020, I began tying ribbons at my home on strong string to see if my vision to tie ribbons for each life lost to Covid-19 in Florida was even possible. At that time the death toll was about 16,000.
As I tied, one ribbon at a time, the strand grew longer and longer, and began to take over my living room. I moved it outside as it expanded and the vastness began to reveal itself..
After a few months, between my sister and I tying ribbons, we reached 16,000 tied ribbons. By the beginning of February 2021, we exhibited them all in my front yard and started to invited people and the press to come and see the Covid Ribbon Memorial of Florida for the first time.
The number of Covid deaths increased rapidly over the winter holiday season and by mid-February 2021, the Covid Ribbon Memorial was about 28,000 colorful ribbons strung among the trees and deck of my front yard.
People were invited to come by and see the Covid Ribbon Memorial and write the names of lost loved ones on a ribbon.
Seeing the Covid Ribbon Memorial of Florida zig zagging across the front of my yard, watching it blowing in the wind, walking around and under the ribbons, was a visual, tangible and sensory experience for viewers, emphasizing the impact and enormity of the lives lost to Covid-19 in Florida.
