October 7, 2021
A Sea of Small White Flags
By Kathy Parsons, VP of Population Health
While in Washington D.C. last week for a National Association of ACO’s conference, I went for a run on the National Mall at the end of the day. Just after I crossed the street in front of the Washington Monument, I stopped very suddenly. In front of me was a sea of small white flags planted on the lawn. I was on the phone with my daughter and just had to hang up. I couldn’t talk.
At first, I walked around the outside. Then I began to walk in the middle when it just struck me. All these lives lost. I’m not prone to tears, but I cried.
I’m not prone to tears, but I cried.
I didn’t lose anyone to COVID. I survived COVID myself. I am not a frontline healthcare worker, but I was just incredibly moved for all the people who have died, for those who have lost someone they loved, and for the healthcare workers who held the hands of these people in their last moments.
Every single flag as far as the eye could see was a person lost to COVID.
I lost my mom to Covid on November 1, 2020. My heart aches, but thank you so much for sharing this video in memory of all who have been lost from this pandemic.
This made me cry. As the Litchfield hospital doc this week, I spent this morning trying to transfer a very ill Covid patient. No luck. No beds. Fortunately, she is a little better late this afternoon. This is so hard- emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Kathy, thank you for sharing. Watching your video brought tears to my ears and I cannot imagine the emotions you felt being there in person. My heart is heavy for the loss of life and the emotional toll this has placed on our healthcare staff.
Kathy – I am so grateful that you experienced this and shared with us. This is truly powerful and speaks to our Why.
Wow, I was silenced by an unspeakable feeling of respect and sorrow while viewing the sea of white flags. Even more than the Joint Commission data graphs, those fluttering mini pennants (many with messages from loved ones) struck me viscerally with how much COVID-19 has affected us in America. Get the vaccine!
Thanks for the story Kathy, and the compassion, and the respect, and the perspective. We are now doubling the tragedy of loss with what we now know to be preventable loss.
Thank you for sharing this powerful tribute to those lost to COVID.
Thank you so much for sharing Kathy.
Thank you for sharing Kathy. I appreciate that you took the time to honor those we have lost to COVID and the health care providers who cared for them – and thank you for sharing with us.
Thank you for sharing this incredibly powerful moment, Kathy. Seeing images of this in media was powerful on its own, but watching your video brought me to tears as well. I think of those who passed, and also of the family and friends left grieving – so much sadness. Thank you to our health care team for continuing the fight. You have my endless respect and thanks.
Kathy, Thank you for capturing this so all of us can see this amazing tribute. My heart aches, my soul aches for so much loss and the loss of healthcare as we all knew it to be. I am so grateful you had the opportunity to witness this and have this moment and shared it with all of us.
Thank you for sharing this.
There are no words..
Thank you so much for sharing this….
Kathy, thank you for sharing this. That memorial is so moving and I’m grateful to get to see it through your eyes. Right now, I am overwhelmed by avoidable suffering and lack of community support. I feel many of us are tired, we are suffering compassion fatigue, and we are burned out. But we’re still here and we’ll keep trying to save every single life we can.