The Greater Houston COVID-19 Memorial will rise approximately 50 feet toward the city sky, honoring the 12,000+ Houstonians lost to the virus, while also providing a space for collective solidarity and healing to the local community.
Origins
In 2023, Mohammed and Ruth Nasrullah — creators of COVID-19 Wall of Memories, a virtual memorial to COVID victims — met with a group of Houston-area families who had lost loved ones to COVID-19. During that meeting, the idea of a physical memorial was proposed.
Elena Padilla — who lost her mother to COVID in 2021 — suggested the shape of a teardrop as a symbol of loss. With agreement from all family members, the Greater Houston COVID-19 Memorial started to become a reality.
The Memorial Takes Shape
Marcos Lutyens, acclaimed artist with expertise in memorialization projects, was asked to develop a design concept using the teardrop as a starting point. The memorial’s final metal structure represents the resilience, interconnectedness and strength of both the virus victims and their surviving loved ones.
The memorial will be surrounded by circular seating on all sides, creating a peaceful space for reflection, mindfulness and communal healing.
This dedicated space reminds us of the changes the pandemic brought, and helps us to remember what each of us experienced because of COVID-19.
Concept sketches courtesy of Marcos Lutyens
Greater Houston COVID-19 Memorial 