Days later, her mother, Genevieve Martinez, was placed on a ventilator. Shortly after that, she was gone. Martinez became one of more than 400,000 people nationwide who lost their lives to COVID-19.
“When you magnify that and you start multiplying it out and let’s just say each person has three or four family members, we’re at 30 million people who have been affected by COVID,” said Urenda-Culpepper.
It’s why she decided to bring people together at Turtle Creek Park – to join countless others across the country grieving a loss. Each person had a story. The Floral Heart Project was launched in New York City by former Dallas resident Kristina Libby to ensure those stories are not forgotten. Flowers are strategically arranged in the shape of a heart and placed at various locations as a reminder of the impact of COVID-19. For Urenda-Culpepper s memorial service, some 300 roses were donated by Irving florist Linspired Creations.