DANVILLE, Ky. (LEX 18) — As the world marks four years since COVID-19 brought the world to a halt, one Central Kentucky town has unveiled a new memorial to the people who've died.
March 2020 can feel like a lifetime ago, but for people who gathered in Danville Monday, it doesn't hurt any less.
"Why don't we all just think about folks who were lost, that 181, let's call out the names of those that we remember that were lost," Mayor James Atkins said to the group who had gathered in Constitution Square.
They reflected on the lives lost with a moment of silence and a new place to reflect. The city has planted a memorial tree dedicated to members of the community who died from COVID-19 in the park. Mayor Atkins said 181 people in Danville have died of COVID over these last four years. That's a big impact for a town of 17,000.
"You can't be a part of this community without knowing someone," Atkins said.
"As the tree blossoms and blooms and grows, it will be there to remind us, along with the plaque saying that it's in remembrance of those who gave the ultimate in COVID-19," he continued.
That's especially important for people like Joseph Keys. He lost both his brother and mother.
"Knowing that they died alone, that's the roughest part," Key said.
Key thinks about them every day. His brother, he said, had just retired and was excited for what was ahead. His mother, he said, just wanted to be sure he stayed safe. It's a lot to carry.
"The pain's going to continue, but we just got to move forward. I still think about my family, my friends that I lost and I just hope all this can just go away or just everyone be safe," Key said.
