The annual Lights for Little Lives Memorial Walk took place on December 31, 2017 at 3:30 pm in Loma Linda. The Unforgettables Foundation has presented this beloved memorial walk, candle lighting, child naming and award ceremony on New Year’s Eve for over a decade. Hundreds reflect and celebrate the lives and journeys of children who have passed, but will forever be remembered in the hearts of those who knew them.
“The Lights for Little Lives Memorial Walk brings together families, friends and the community to remember the many children who have died too soon,” according to Chaplain Timothy Evans, Founder/CEO of The Unforgettables Foundation. “The event is another way the organization is able to further touch the lives of family members and loved ones in a caring way,” he said.
This moving event was free and open to the public as a way of remembering all children who have lost their lives. The Foundation also recognized those who work to heal, rescue and save children. Three physicians (Siofronio Basical, MD, Grace Kim, MD, and Rainilda Valencia, MD) received Top Doctor Pediatric awards for their compassionate care toward our area children. Marion Hammarlund and Kathleen Hartman received the Unforgettable Kiwanis Friend of Children award. Kyle Sebastian Kim of Redlands received the Christopher Kohlmeier award for saving the life of a child. Carole and Harry Adams received the Unforgettable Wings award.
The group assembled in the parking lot of the Ronald McDonald House, 11365 Anderson Street, Loma Linda, across the street from Loma Linda Children’s Hospital, at 3:30 pm. Four mothers (Andrea Garcia, Rocio Hernandez, Knala Keith, and Jennifer Zambrano) who lost a child proceeded to release a dove at sunset, joined by 21 doves in a memorial flight. Many say the dove flight, symbolic of a heavenly journey, is a key highlight of the celebratory awareness event.
After the ceremony, a 3-block walk was held and led by boy scouts, children, physicians, firemen, funeral professionals, volunteers and faith community leaders. The walk continued down Anderson Street and ended at the Campus Hill Church where there was a 45-minute ceremony of candle lighting and name reading. Numerous families attended this event to recognize a child who had passed.
The Lights for Little Lives Memorial Walk and Candle Lighting Ceremony was the very first public event created by The Unforgettables Foundation after a full year of serving families across the region. To date, over 5,000 families have been helped with financial and burial support from over 80 cities in Southern California. The Orange Belt Funeral Directors Association, along with various clergy associations and medical associations in the region collaborated with this celebration of our children in life and in death.