NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – March 14 will be an annual day of remembrance for the New Yorkers lost during the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday.
De Blasio said March 14, 2020, was the first day a New Yorker died from the virus.
"Next March 14, 2021, will be a day of remembrance in New York City," he said. "We need to recognize 25,000 of our fellow New Yorkers gone. That's something we have to always mark going forward."
"It's important that we have a day of remembrance. It's important that we have a day going forward in the future of this city to always remember what happened in 2020, to remember those we lost. And of course, at the same time, remember all the heroism, all the people who did so much good to protect people," the mayor said.
He said the day will also serve as a time to "remember the painful lessons we learned."
"So many we lost were victims of the disparities and inequalities in our society," the mayor said. "This was tragically a disease that affected everyone, but it didn't affect everyone equally."
De Blasio said it will be a day "to look back but also a day to look forward to say, 'How can we do better?' So we never lose people again and we have a city that is there for everyone going forward."
