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Coronavirus colors mourning on Memorial Day

The memory of his cousin is in his heart, but the pandemic is on his mind.

NEW ORLEANS — Even on Memorial Day, it’s hard to escape the realities of COVID-19.  The pandemic is forcing changes to the holiday.  From smaller gatherings to social distant beaches the virus is impacting how Americans observe this holiday. 

“It’s very strange with everything that’s happening with the pandemic, and then memorial day,” said Anthony Wayne Richard. 

We met Richard at the Chalmette National Cemetery in St. Bernard Parish.  Richard came to visit his cousin, Byron Richard. 

“He was killed in Vietnam just a few months after joining the army,” said Richard. 

The memory of his cousin is in his heart, but the pandemic is on his mind. 

“Every American, every person in this world, we’re going to have find a way to co-exist with this disease until they can find a cure, a vaccine, or something to contain it,” said Richard. 

On a day traditionally dedicated to fallen service members, the nation is also honoring the thousands of Americans who died from COVID-19.  The national death toll from the Coronavirus is approaching 100,000.  At the request of Democrats, the President ordered flags to fly at half-staff this holiday weekend for those victims. 

“In a way, they are veterans too,” Barbara Wimprine.   

Wimprine volunteers at the WWII Museum, which reopened Monday for the first time since the pandemic.  As she welcomed visitors, Wimprine also welcomed the gesture of the flying the flag in honor of veterans like her father and for the Americans who lost the fight against the coronavirus.

“I was looking at our flag out there flying half-staff, and it’s torn and it’s tattered, but it’s still there flying, for all of us,” said Wimprine. 

As of Monday, 2,585 people in Louisiana have died from COVID-19. 

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