Tribute of ribbons to mark deaths
– When Cathy Tobias began tying a ribbon to a rope for each Covid-19 death in Florida, she had no idea her entire patio would end up being draped in colour.
The eye-catching tribute to those who have died in the Sunshine State during the pandemic crisscrosses her patio, weaves across stairs and onto a balcony at her home on Anna Maria Island, a small community on Florida’s Gulf coast.
There are now more than 30 000 ribbons, in all colours of the rainbow – from pale pink to crimson to neon green.
Sitting on a porch with a neighbour who has helped her create the memorial, Tobias said she began to tie the ribbons because she wanted to visualise the death toll.
“Watching the numbers change as fast as we can tie really hits us very deeply and strongly – how many people have died and are dying,” the 67-year-old retired occupational therapist said. “It’s very sad.”
Tobias’ home is at the end of the main road on Anna Maria Island, a tourist-friendly town on a narrow strip of land with visitors driving around in rented golf carts and plenty of stores stocked with beach gear.
She says her tribute conjures up mixed emotions.
“It is in some ways celebratory because we’re celebrating life – of course, lives lost,” said Tobias.
“Each one of these people have family, loved ones, friends that are all deeply impacted.”
She said she knows “what it feels like, unfortunately, to lose a loved one”, because her first child died at less than a month old.
Tobias and neighbour Lucy Kancy devised a system to keep track of all the dead.
For every 10 deaths, they tie a white ribbon. After that, for every 500, 1 000 and 10 000 deaths, they acknowledge the grim milestone using markers. – AFP