Bells will ring in Detroit on Monday morning — and hundreds of people who have died during the coronavirus pandemic will be remembered.
On Monday, a route on Belle Isle will be transformed into "Detroit Memorial Drive" to honor local COVID-19 victims and help bring closure to their grieving families. The all-day memorial event will feature over-sized photos of victims of COVID-19 placed along the island.
“What better way to commemorate his life with a memorial in the City of Detroit, where he affectionately called home,” said Nicole Savage, speaking about her father Raymond Mitchell, who died of COVID-19 on March 30 at age 73.
“We could not even have a traditional family gathering after his very limited viewing service," Savage said. "So, this is a great opportunity for myself and my family to honor him.”
Due to the highly contagious nature of the novel coronavirus, many people whose loved ones fell ill did not get to see them before they passed, and most were not able to mourn at a funeral surrounded by family members and friends.
During the pandemic, grief has been faced in isolation.
But Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and the city's Arts and Culture director Rochelle Riley have worked hard to change that.
Duggan declared Monday "Detroit Memorial Day," the nation’s first citywide memorial honoring victims of COVID-19. Coupled with bells ringing throughout the city at 8:45 a.m., Riley is leading the Memorial Drive effort, which will include about 15 funeral processions and a display of more than 900 photos representing the 1,500-plus Detroiters who have died of coronavirus since March.
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Not all of those honored died of COVID-19. Federal Judge Patrick J. Duggan, Jr., Mayor Duggan’s father was included in the memorial program because he died during the pandemic and served the city, officials said. He died at a Livonia hospice in March at the age of 86.
“The memorial includes first responders and public servants who served the city of Detroit," Riley said. "That includes firefighters, police officers, legislators and judges.”
On Monday, cars from Detroit-area funeral homes will lead the various processions north on Chene and east on Jefferson to Belle Isle and then around the park. Families are allowed one car per family.
In preparation of a historic drive
On Sunday as workers dutifully set up and secured the pictures of those being remembered, many people came to the island in advance to take pictures and look for the pictures of those they knew and loved.
Dannice Harvey described what she saw on Belle Isle as "a gorgeous garden of God's children." She was there with her sister to view their father's photo.
Balloons and flowers were placed by some of the over-sized pictures.
Also among those visiting the memorial display in advance were people taking advantage of the last days of summer. As visitors enjoyed their normal routines on Belle Isle — walking, jogging, biking, skateboarding, fishing, having family picnics — many stood in awe of the memorial display, and the hundreds of people lost to the virus.
To have some serene time, Donald Sullivan said that he typically takes a walk on the Riverwalk and then drives around Belle Isle early in the morning. Sullivan didn’t realize the memorial display was going to be up on Sunday, but he knew immediately what it was. His aunt’s picture wasn’t submitted in time, but he still wanted to come and see the display.
“It brought tears to my eyes seeing how many people were affected by it.” Sullivan said of the memorial. “This is beautiful. It’s monumental.”
For Monday's Memorial Drive, Belle Isle will be closed to all public cars, bikes and pedestrian traffic on Monday, according to Riley who said, "The island will be cleared totally for the families who are mourning their loved ones."
The city partnered with WRCJ 90.9 FM who will provide the soundtrack for the memorial drive. Residents can tune in for curated gospel, classical and jazz music. The station's hosts will also present mini-profiles of some of the metro Detroiters represented in the display.
The public will once again be allowed to view the memorial on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Riley.
Families will get the city's embrace
Detroit was hard-hit by novel coronavirus early in the pandemic, quickly becoming a national hotspot. By late March, hospitals in the city and across metro Detroit were filled with critically ill COVID-19 patients. Morgues were full, and funeral homes couldn’t handle the volume of people who’d succumbed to it.
In the months that followed, the case numbers and deaths have tapered off. But the pain still lingers.
Jean James and her family are still waiting to have a funeral service for her father Nicholas Nathaniel James Sr., 85, who passed away due to COVID-19 on March 30. She said that her family wants to be able to come together.
A headstone was recently placed on his grave in late July.
“He loved to ride his bicycle from his house to Belle Isle or downtown,” according to James, who said that she plans to ride her bike to the island on Tuesday, since she won’t be able to stop during the procession and get out of her car on Monday.
Family members agreed not to leave their cars on Monday during the Memorial Drive procession, to abide by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's mandate against social gathering.
Kim Weaver said she’s not sure what to expect on Monday, but thinks that the Memorial Drive is a safer way to pay tribute. She will be attending the memorial with her sisters and mother.
The family had a Zoom memorial for James Henry Harper on April 25, 2020. He died March 24 at the age of 80.
Families will receive the display photos of their loved ones as a gift at some point after the event.
Derrick Carmichael’s parents Edmon C. Carmichael, 79, and Gwendolyn A. Carmichael ,72, died one day apart from each other in April due to COVID-19 complications.
“I wanted to participate in this event because my parents and everyone else taken by this pandemic should be honored. This event shouldn’t have happened, and all these lives lost just swept under the rug and covered up by politics and confusion,” Carmichael said.
“My expectations are hopefully that the memorial was put together with all sincerity and appreciation of all the lives lost."
After hearing overwhelming responses from people who visited Belle Isle before Memorial Drive day Riley said, "I have been heartened by the reactions because it is what we hoped, that people would see this and really understand just how hard COVID hit Detroit.
“These faces represent the spirit of Detroit.”
Health reporter Kristen Jordan Shamus, and investigative reporters Elisha Anderson and Gina Damron contributed to this report.
Brendel Hightower is an assistant editor at the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at bhightower@freepress.com.
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