PUEBLO — Hundreds gathered along the Pueblo Riverwalk on Saturday for the "Light the Water" event in honor of those taken by the virus.
Dena Rodriguez lost her 32-year-old cousin, Jasmine, to COVID-19 in January.
Rodriguez says the last few months have been a challenging time.
The pandemic did not allow the family to honor and remember Jasmine traditionally, with an in-person funeral and viewing.
They were forced to do it through Zoom.
"It was just heartbreaking, to have to view her body on a Zoom meeting was just not something any family could get used to," said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez says Saturday's Light the Water event was a start to the healing process for her and Jasmine's 12-year-old daughter she leaves behind.
More than 250 community members gathered together for the event.
Lanterns were placed in the river, honoring someone's mother, father, aunt, or uncle; anyone's life that taken too soon from COVID-19.
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