Hospice of Santa Barbara hosts Light Up A Life ceremony in Montecito

Hospice of Santa Barbara held it first Light Up A Life ceremony in Montecito on Wednesday evening after a week-long postponement due to rain.

People filled the branches they could reach with star ornaments honoring loved ones and they asked firefighters on a ladder to hang them in the highest branches near the top of the Hospice tree

Some people made donations by buying the stars in memory of the 23 people killed in the Montecito debris flow on January 9.

After dark children were told to toss fairy dust at the tree to make it light up.

Lauren Cantin helped wrap up the ceremony by singing Amazing Grace. The teen lost her father, brother and dog in the tragedy. Her mother sat in the front row.

Police Chaplin Mike McGrew became a Hospice board member after losing his son to cancer ten years ago.

McGrew said the first holiday without a loved one can be especially tough.

He wants to remind people that Hospice helps people for free thanks to donations from the community.

To donate visit, https://hospiceofsantabarbara.org