Advocates push to honor 1.2 million lives lost to COVID-19

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - It's been nearly five years since the first COVID case reported here in Yuma, but for many, the effects are still being felt. 

Families who lost their loved ones say their grief hasn't faded and some advocacy groups are working to make sure they’re never forgotten.

Kristen Urquiza, the Executive Director of Marked by COVID, says there's still work to be done in recognizing the scale of this loss.

"Many of these losses were done in unusual ways in which people couldn't be by their bedside, we're unable to have funerals, had to say goodbye over videos conference and as a result, never really had a chance to process or mourn their losses," Urquiza said.

Urquiza founded marked by COVID after losing her father in 2020. Since then she's been leading efforts to push for national recognition of COVID-19 victims.

She says, "COVID is now the number four leading cause of death in the United States, so we want to make sure that were continuing to do everything we can to keep ourselves and our community protected."

Locals say the effects are still being felt here.

Susan Brian, a local, says, "It definitely changed our world. We have to pay attention to cleanliness or touching people, crowding people."

Susan Young says her daughter, a nurse, didn’t just experience negative effects that were physical, but also mental: "She went through a pretty rough time and she made it through it. She did have COVID a few times, but it's not just COVID, but it's the mental thing that came with that and seeing people die."

Marked by COVID is continuing to find ways to recognize those lost during the pandemic.