As Survivors Mourn the 400,000 Lives Taken by COVID-19, They Honor The More than 23 Million Americans Who Have Contracted the Devastating Virus
Members of COVID Survivors for Change Will Honor those Impacted by COVID-19 by Tuning into National Memorial Events this Evening, Online and Locally in Texas and New Jersey
NEW YORK – As the nation appears set to hit the grim milestone of 400,000 Americans dead from COVID-19 the same day as a national memorial to honor COVID-19 victims and survivors, the non-partisan grassroots survivor network, COVID Survivors for Change, released the following statements.
“My heart breaks for everyone who now knows the weight of saying goodbye to someone who meant the world to you over Zoom,” said Rosie Davis, a member of COVID Survivors for Change who recently hosted the Yellowing Heart Memorial in Irving, Texas who is planning an art installation in Austin today to honor COVID victims. “Tonight, we’ll join Biden’s inauguration committee to honor the lives taken by COVID-19 while resident Trump refused to even wear a mask. I pray that new leadership in Washington will help us finally end this devastating crisis.”
“I know it’s tiring to still follow COVID-19 precautions after almost a year of this virus, but the frustration Americans may feel at social distancing is so small compared to the heartbreak I feel every day without my dad,” said Sabila Khan, a member of COVID Survivors for Change and co-founder of COVID-19 Loss Support for Family & Friends, who is hosting a COVID memorial today in Jersey City at 5:30 pm ET. “Today, we’ll honor my father along with the other lives taken and forever changed by COVID-19. With a vaccine so close now, my message to Americans is to keep following CDC protocols and do what it takes to keep your families safe. I know it’s hard not to see each other, but it’s far more difficult to know that you’ll never hear your dad’s laugh again – and that’s a reality that the families of the 400,000 killed know all too well.”
“For so many families, life will never go back to normal after COVID-19,” said Chris Kocher, executive director of COVID Survivors for Change. “The families of the 400,000 killed, as well as the millions who’ve survived this virus with lasting symptoms, deserve the nation’s empathy and support. We applaud Biden’s inaugural committee for remembering COVID-19 survivors as part of the inaugural events, and we look forward to working with Congress and the new administration on a national strategy to end this nightmare and provide survivors with the support they need moving forward.”
About COVID Survivors for Change
COVID Survivors for Change is a national, non-partisan movement bringing together Americans who have lost a loved one to COVID-19, as well as those who have survived the virus and those whose lives have been dramatically altered by the pandemic. As part of COVID Survivors for Change, Americans are mobilizing to make sure that communities have the funding, resources and leadership in place to address future public health emergencies. Survivors will also find community and healing in meeting other people whose lives have been forever changed by the pandemic. For more information, please visit: covidsurvivorsforchange.org.
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