Santa Barbara County community commemorates lives lost to COVID-19

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — For those who have lost loves ones throughout the past pandemic year, it's been especially hard to heal.

Guadalupe resident Gilbert Robles hadn’t been able to give his mother, María — who passed away from COVID-19 in February — a proper goodbye.

"It was just a rush of a year,” he said. “If you even had a celebration, it was very minimal and small."

Family members and friends were finally able to mourn during an Infinity Healing Ceremony at Solvang Park on Saturday afternoon.

Several speakers from community-based organizations lifted up those in attendance.

Esron Gates helped organize this event. 

"This is a great way for the community to come together to release grief and embrace the love of their loves ones,” he said.

​President of the Santa Maria and Lompoc chapter of the NAACP Lawanda Lyons-Pruitt came to celebrate her sister Essie, who died of COVID-19 complications.

"I wasn't able to go to the ceremony in Mississippi,” she said. “So today is an opportunity for me to have some type of closure.”

As people embraced and let go of grief, they also brought healing stones to memorialize their loved ones.

"To finally come out of the pandemic and see the light at the end of the tunnel, everybody needs to grieve and celebrate their loves ones,” Robles concluded.

This memorial event marked the first of several similar ceremonies that will take place countywide throughout the summer months.