Lighting ceremony honors loved ones lost to COVID-19 (PHOTOS) – NJ.com

Mourners gathered Saturday at Ramis Heart COVID-19 Memorial for the second annual lighting ceremony for those who lost their lives to the virus and the loved ones they left behind.

Ramis Heart COVID-19 Memorial, the country first permanent one for those who died from the coronavirus, was unveiled last year at Allaire Community Farm in Wall Township. The heart-shaped memorial contains over 3,500 names arranged in 11 yellow-painted shell hearts. It continues to grow as more people lose their lives to the insidious virus.

Before it was moved to the farm, the memorial was on display on the sands of Belmar Beach, where a vigil was held to honor health care workers, survivors and people lost to the disease. This years vigil marks the first remembrance event at the memorials permanent site. It also marks two years since the start of the pandemic that upended life around the world, and hit New Jersey especially hard. The state of 9.2 million residents has reported 33,167 COVID-19 deaths--30,184 confirmed fatalities and 2,983 probable ones--since its first known case March 4, 2020.

New Jersey has the fifth-most coronavirus deaths per capita in the U.S. behind Mississippi, Arizona, Alabama and Oklahoma as of the latest data reported March 13.

The evening included the unveiling of Letters of Hope, a traveling art installation which showcases some of the artwork that has been incorporated into the COVID Hope Quilt a national memorial and community art project to honor frontline workers who have faced extraordinary challenges during COVID-19, and to commemorate others who have been affected by or lost to the pandemic. Loosely based on the AIDS quilt, it features panel blocks to honor frontline workers and memorial panel blocks for those lost.

The Ramis Heart COVID-19 Memorial is also surrounded by a garden on the 25-acre complex, a working farm, equine therapy and animal rescue facility. The memorial and its accompanying garden are centrally located on the farm and measure approximately 60 feet by 12 feet. It includes a variety of plantings, two 8-by-8-foot sculptures, and a walking path constructed out of heart-shaped stepping stones. Since the pandemic continues to claim lives, additional opportunities have been made available to include a loved one in the permanent memorial. Those interested can pursue that through the Ramis Heart website.

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Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com.

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Lighting ceremony honors loved ones lost to COVID-19 (PHOTOS) - NJ.com