This browser does not support the Video element.
Daughter reflects on Milwaukee County’s 1st COVID loss as nation mourns
Whitley Riley of Milwaukee lost her 66-year-old father, Lawrence, on March 19, the first to die from COVID-19 in Milwaukee County.
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee landmarks were lit up amber Tuesday evening, Jan. 19 as President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris kicked off inaugural events in Washington, D.C. with a lighting ceremony to honor the 400,000 Americans who have died during the coronavirus pandemic.
Milwaukee's Hoan Bridge was among the local landmarks supporting the "National Memorial to Lives Lost to COVID-19," lighting up amber "in a national moment of unity and remembrance." At Milwaukee's City Hall, the bells rang four times; each ring in memory of 100,000 lives lost. Other landmarks lit up included the following:
- Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge (Light the Hoan)
- Discovery World
- 600 EAST Wisconsin
- 833 East Michigan
- Best Place at Historic Pabst Brewery
- Brighten the Passage (I-794 underpass at Broadway and Water streets)
- Fiserv Forum
- Hyatt Regency Milwaukee
- Lakefront Brewery
- Marcus Performing Arts Center
- Milwaukee Art Museum
- Milwaukee County Parks Mitchell Park Domes
- Northwestern Mutual
- Pfister Hotel
- US Bank Center
- Wisconsin Center District
"Brief, prayerful memorial services" were also held in front of "the nine Wisconsin prisons where people have died of COVID-19," organized by EXPO (Ex Incarcerated People Organizing).
Lawrence Riley
"It’s really sad that the virus is still impacting thousands of lives," said Whitley Riley.
Riley, of Milwaukee, lost her 66-year-old father, Lawrence, on March 19, the first to die from COVID-19 in Milwaukee County.
"The nurses, they called us and they told us, like, he’s not going to make it," said Riley. "One second he was here, and he wasn’t feeling well, and then we took him to the hospital and we couldn’t see him. Everybody looked up to him. So like, with him being gone, it’s like, a big piece of our family is missing."
Lawrence Riley
Since that loss, 1,100 more have died in Milwaukee County. Riley said she never would have imagined this many more would be lost.
"My dad was a big people person," said Riley. "He was very nice, very sweet. He was like, a gentle giant, and he was strong, so the fact that he died to this virus, people should take this seriously."
Lawrence Riley
Riley said the family planned to mourn with the rest of the country Tuesday evening.
"We do have a table in his honor, so it’s like, he’s still here even if he’s not here," said Riley.
Lawrence Riley
In Washington, the somber event took place at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, soon after Biden arrived at the nation’s capital.