Youngstown & Mahoning Valley - It's been 2 and a half years since COVID-19 changed our world.

Since then, hundreds have lost their lives as the battle continues. On Thursday afternoon, Mercy Health along with Mahoning Valley leaders including Bishop David Bonnar, unveiled a new memorial as a way to pay tribute to healthcare workers and those who lost their lives to this ongoing pandemic at St. Elizabeth's.

"We are here to bless and dedicate this beautiful sculpture," said Paul Homick, President of Mercy Health Foundation Mahoning Valley. "This is to pay tribute and to honor the memory of those who have been lost by COVID-19 over the past 30 months, those who are sick and their families and friends. Also, especially to honor our caregivers, those who have provided courageous and compassionate care over the last 30 months."

As a way to say thank you to the hundreds of Valley healthcare workers, The Mercy Health Foundation received donations from staff and Valley businesses to unveil the memorial called 'When I was Sick' by Timothy Schmalz. The plan had been in place since March of 2021. 

"We're so appreciative of the community supporting us and really this is just a gift back to the community," said James Kravec, Chief Medical Officer for Mercy Health. 

The memorial statue is located right at the front entrance at St. Elizabeth's on Park Ave. Organizers told 21 News this is one of a handful of projects honoring those who lost their lives to COVID. The Sisters of the Humility of Mary were also present. The group consists of the foundresses of Youngstown's health system.

"Their predecessors in the community were the ones upon which we built our legacy," Homick said. "This memorial provides those mourning a place to come to heal."

Timothy Schmalz is a world-renowned artist with international installations at churches, cathedrals, and the Vatican. 

The ceremony featured a pandemic time capsule that will be opened on March 11, 2120, one hundred years from the date of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Kravec added, that while the pandemic is at a manageable level, Mercy Health staff continue to work through this unprecedented journey.

"Our staff has worked so hard," Kravec said. "They are still working hard with stress but they are managing."

A plaque will eventually go in the center of the wall that tells the history of the pandemic. "Because we are still in the middle of the pandemic, it is not completed. But, eventually, we will have that installed."

There are now 4 COVID-19 memorial statues throughout the region. A 5th memorial is in the works to be placed at Trinity United Methodist Church in Youngstown.

Several other Schmalz sculptures were installed in the Youngstown region, including “Homeless Jesus” at St. Columba Cathedral, “When I Was Naked” at St. John’s Episcopal Church, and “When I was Hungry & Thirsty” at First Presbyterian Church. 

To donate to the Mercy Health Foundation, click here.