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COVID Ribbon Memorial in Anna Maria Island shows grim toll of deadly virus

By
Updated  February 17, 2021 5:22am EST
Manatee County
FOX 13 News

COVID-19 ribbon memorial opens in Anna Maria Island

Over in Manatee County, those who’ve felt the pain of COVID-19 gathered as the COVID Ribbon Memorial opened on Anna Maria Island.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND, Fla. - Stretching blocks, a long chain of ribbons tied together is a reminder of the toll of COVID-19 in Florida.

It's the COVID Ribbon Memorial, erected Tuesday on Anna Maria Island. Those who've felt the pain of COVID-19 joined together in remembrance.

Blowing in the wind off Pine Avenue on Anna Maria Island, the beautiful colorful ribbons represent a grim toll.

Each one represents a life lost to COVID-19 in Florida.

PREVIOUS: Colorful ribbons present haunting reminder of lives lost to COVID-19

Tim Coombs joined dozens as they lifted the COVID Ribbon Memorial.

"The more I kept looking down with the sticks the more I see it going and going. The more it hits you. Wow, each ribbon is a person. For how long it is, you realize that’s a lot," Coombs said.

Ribbons honor COVID-19 victims

Stretched outside Cathy Tobias' Anna Maria Island home, a beautiful rainbow of ribbons depicts a tragic reminder of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Some ribbons had names written on them; friends or family members lost to COVID-19.

"To show the families that have lost them, us citizens, we are with you. We feel it. It’s just a sad thing to see," Coombs said

The memorial is a labor of love from Cathy Tobias. She started tying each ribbon by hand. Friends and volunteers joined in.

The ribbons began draped around her Anna Maria Island home.

"It’s not meant to be in a box or hung up at the end of my cul-de-sac. This is for everybody and for everybody to share in it," Tobias said.

The memorial includes a ribbon for each of the 29,154 Floridians who've died because of COVID-19.

Tobias says she has even bigger plans for the COVID Ribbon Memorial. She hopes to get it out to even more public places throughout the state.

Manatee CountyCoronavirus in FloridaNews