Santa Monica Pier's Pacific Wheel Honors Lives Lost To Virus

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica's Pacific Park and Pacific Wheel joined a nationwide COVID-19 memorial Tuesday night by lighting up the Ferris wheel in amber lights with messages of gratitude to frontline medical responders.

The message of thanks began at 5:30 p.m. local time Tuesday and ended at midnight at 380 Santa Monica Pier. The event coincides with a ceremony at 5:30 p.m. EST at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, which will feature lighting the memorial to honor and remember American lives lost to COVID-19.

Cities and towns across the country have been invited to participate. People can also light a candle in the window of their homes in memory of loved ones lost to COVID-19.

"Pacific Park and the City of Santa Monica will join other communities across the country by lighting the Pacific Wheel amber at 5:30 p.m. local time," organizers said in a statement.

In a grim milestone, more than 1 million Angelenos have contracted the virus.

In the U.S., more than 20 million people are confirmed to have had the coronavirus as the battle to stop its spread continues across the globe.

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