Lincoln Center marks anniversary of NYC’s first COVID death with memorial events
Courtesy of Lincoln Center
To mark the anniversary of the first reported coronavirus death in New York City, the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts will host two memorial events this Sunday. At 12 p.m. on March 14, a virtual performance by the Young People’s Chorus of New York City singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” will be available to view online. Later that evening, hundreds of candles will be lit around the Revson Fountain to honor the roughly 30,000 New Yorkers lost to the pandemic.
The performance by the Young People’s Chorus, a diverse, internationally renowned youth chorus, was filmed outdoors on the Lincoln Center campus. The tribute event will be released on Sunday as a “message of hope and shared humanity with the world on this somber anniversary.” You can watch the performance at noon on March 14 on Lincoln Center’s Facebook page, YouTube channel, and website.
Starting at 8 p.m. that day, Lincoln Center will light hundreds of candles and dim the surrounding campus lights. They will hold a 10-minute moment of silence in honor of New Yorkers lost during the last year. While the campus will remain closed to visitors during this time, the candle memorial will be viewable from the street and will remain lit overnight. The moment of silence and the lighting will be streamed live on their Facebook page.
Throughout the pandemic, Lincoln Center has offered free online offerings and archival performances, including Memorial for Us All, a weekly remembrance that launched in May honoring New Yorkers who passed away.
On March 14, 2020, the city confirmed the first death caused by the coronavirus: an 82-year-old woman with advanced emphysema died in Brooklyn. A year later, over 30,000 New Yorkers have passed away from COVID-19.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city will recognize the anniversary as an official day of remembrance and will honor those lost with an online memorial on Sunday. If you lost a loved one to COVID-19 and would like their name and photo of them to possibly be featured during the city’s memorial, complete the form found here. You can also share stories and photos by using the hashtag #COVIDMemorial.
The memorial will be streamed online via the mayor’s Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube on Sunday, March 14 at 7:45 p.m.
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