Majority Leader Reyes hosts candlelight vigil to remember those we lost to COVID-19

Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes hosted a candlelight vigil to honor and remember those who lost their lives to the coronavirus on Friday, Mar. 26 at the steps in front of San Bernardino City Hall. The event was attended by local officials that included Assemblyman James C. Ramos, San Bernardino County 5th District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr., San Bernardino Mayor Pro Tem, and 2nd Ward Councilmember Sandra Ibarra, 1st Ward Councilman Theodore Sanchez, 5th Ward Councilman Ben Reynoso, 6th Ward Councilperson Kimberly Calvin, 7th Ward Councilman Damon Alexander and from neighboring cities Loma Linda Mayor Darcy McNaboe, Colton Mayor Pro Tem Ernesto Cisneros, and representing education San Bernardino Community College District Trustee Frank Reyes in a show of solidarity.

COVID-19 claimed over half a million lives nationwide, over 55,000 in the state of California, and over 4,000 in San Bernardino County.

“They sound like statistics but they are not, these are our friends, these are our family, our neighbors,” noted Reyes, who shared her uncle, Tio Joel, died of COVID-19. “What a loss of so many lives, what a loss of our history.”

Ramos shared a song and prayer to honor, uplift, and protect families who have lost a loved one, and Baca opined that through reflection the country as a whole will not only appreciate all that is great but will also show greater respect for others and their differences.

Dozens of community members gathered in front of City Hall in a shared and poignant experience that hopefully provided some solace.

“As we move forward in this life of covid, I remain hopeful that as we continue to get vaccinated and as we all continue to push forward and uplift one another, that we are going to come out on the other side better people,” remarked Calvin.

Reynoso, who lost his grandfather before the coronavirus was identified as such, encouraged community members to be kind to themselves, “The more we are detrimental to ourselves the harder it will be to come out of this.”

Alexander urged the audience to not only remember those we have lost to covid but to keep in mind those who remain. “Celebrate the lives of the living. Those who are absent from the body and present with the Lord leave us here standing today. We are here today celebrating them, we must continue to go forth, we must lift up our faith, we must press on and be glorious in this.”