Kentucky honors those lost to COVID
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Tears flowed as Jan Peterson gazed at the new Kentucky COVID-19 Memorial on Wednesday, recalling a lifetime of memories with her husband, who died from the virus in the fall of 2021.
Wanting to honor her husband and other Kentuckians who died from COVID-19, 72-year-old Peterson attended the dedication ceremony for the memorial on the grounds of Kentucky’s Capitol.
“Looking back, it’s hard to believe it ever really happened,” she said. “All the changes that have occurred since then. All I know is I miss him a lot and I know that other people feel the same pain.”
Her husband, Larry Peterson, was an Army veteran who had a long career in state government, working in coal mining permits, she said. He was a geologist, a cave explorer, an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan and had a love of learning. Their two adult children were unable to attend the ceremony.
Larry Peterson was 73 when he died — among more than 18,600 Kentuckians to succumb to the virus.
Speaking at the dedication, Gov. Andy Beshear said the memorial stands as a lasting tribute to those who died and to health care workers who displayed courage and selflessness while treating COVID-19 patients.
“While we managed to get through so much adversity, pain and loss, this scale is something that we’re going to be living with and processing for years to come,” the governor said.
“That’s why we made the decision to build this memorial,” he said. “Because I wanted everyone who has lost someone to this virus to know that their loved one is important and they are missed. And that we in Kentucky will not bow to politics. We will recognize the loss that we have been through.”