On some maps showing how the covid-19 pandemic has affected the U.S., dots are used to represent a case or a certain number of cases in a particular area.

But as the country’s covid-19 death toll passes 116,000, the creators of the Mourning America website want people to know that each of those dots is far more than just a number.

“Every time our numbers go up, it’s a reminder of another soul we have lost,” said Dermot Jevens of South Carolina, who, along with partner Rebecca Heiss, created the nonprofit MourningAmerica.org, which offers a place for families and loved ones to pay tribute to covid-19 victims from all across the U.S.

The site currently has more than 7,500 tributes to covid victims.

“We designed it as a way for people to honor the victims, and it has become so much more,” Heiss said in a news release. “A cathartic experience to express love and loss for families and friends that have come from this virus.”

The free tribute site allows users to add their own obituaries, photos and memories of loved ones. Some chose to tell the story of their loved one’s struggle with the virus.

Editors for the site verify each death and the information submitted, and a search function allows visitors to find a specific person and leave condolences and comments.

“People are suffering great losses while being isolated from their family and friends at a vulnerable time,” Jevens said. Heiss agreed.

“People are trapped at home, unable to be with their loved ones, and are now experiencing profound loss,” she said. “We hope this platform allows them a much-needed way to share their feelings and honor the victims of this deadly disease.”

For more, see MourningAmerica.org.

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