For 109 families in Hamblen County, life will never be the same.
That is how many have died in the county so far from COVID-19 since last March when the disease hit the United States.
Tuesday, those 109 lives were honored with a COVID-19 memorial service on the lawn of the Hamblen County Courthouse. There were 109 chairs set up, one for each person who was claimed by this disease. Most chairs had a luminaria with either the name of that person all the way to those that had âbrother,â âsisterâ or âmotherâ for those who didnât want to use names.
It was irony that the memorial was held on the day that deaths went past the 400,000 mark from COVID-19. At 5:30 p.m., church bells from nearby churches could be heard tolling for the dead.
Hamblen County memorial to honor and remember COVID-19 victims
At least 109 people have died of COVID-19 in Hamblen County. Now, white flags for each of them stand outside the Hamblen County courthouse. Author: Grace King (10News) Updated: 6:42 PM EST January 16, 2021
MORRISTOWN, Tenn. As the COVID-19 death toll continued to rise in Hamblen County, Beth Tedder grew frustrated and sad. It seems recently, the [deaths] have gone up two or three a day and that s been tough, Tedder said. There are chaplains, doctors, judges . sisters, mothers, children they re all here. We want people to realize this is real.
She and Jaymie Rusiñol wanted to do something special to honor the 109 people who have died of COVID-19.