SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and other local leaders on Thursday morning honored the lives lost to COVID-19 with a memorial downtown.
According to the City of San Antonio, the memorial, called “Deep in Our Hearts,” consists of more than 3,400 red hearts to honor the San Antonio residents who died from the virus during the pandemic.
It will be open for public viewing at the corner of Market and South Alamo streets, along a chainlink fence at the future site of Civic Park.
“I know how important and meaningful this memorial is to all the families who lost their loved ones because of the coronavirus, so again I offer my sincerest condolences to all of you who have been impacted,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a news release. “I am glad to see that we as a community have made the effort and taken the time to honor these most cherished lives. I would also like to acknowledge all of our community partners who collaborated on the creation of this beautiful memorial.”
Relatives of those who died from the virus are encouraged to write names and messages on the hearts, attach photos and bring flowers at any time while the display is up.
Since the pandemic hit Bexar County, officials have reported 222,586 total COVID-19 cases and 3,454 total deaths.
“All of us know someone whether it was a mother, father, sister, brother, co-worker or dear friend who has died since the pandemic began more than a year ago, and this memorial will allow each of us to remember and reflect upon that loss,” Assistant City Manager Colleen Bridger said. “And just as the name of the memorial implies, they will always remain deep in our hearts.”
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