Washington National Cathedral honors COVID-19 victims as US reaches 500,000 deaths

The Washington National Cathedral rang its bells 500 times Monday, once for every 1,000 people who have died from COVID-19 in the U.S.

The United States topped 500,000 virus deaths, a number that all but matches the number of Americans killed in World War II, Korea and Vietnam combined, the Associated Press reported.

Some people embraced those they were with at the Cathedral as the bells rang.

D.C. resident Kelley Ellsworth attending the bell-ringing to reflect on the number of lives lost.

“I think we all go about our lives and suffer through it as much as we can, and we don’t take stock of what’s happened and stand back for a minute and take it in,” Ellsworth told 草莓传媒.

Watch video of the Cathedral’s remembrance ceremony below.

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Two people embrace near the Washington National Cathedral, which honored COVID-19 victims Monday. (草莓传媒/Kyle Cooper)

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The Washington National Cathedral on Feb. 22, 2021. (草莓传媒/Kyle Cooper)

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The Washington National Cathedral remembers COVID-19 victims on Feb. 22, 2021. (草莓传媒/Kyle Cooper)

Kyle Cooper

Weekend and fill-in anchor Kyle Cooper has been with 草莓传媒 since 1992. Over those 25 years, Kyle has worked as a street reporter, editor and anchor. Prior to 草莓传媒, Kyle worked at several radio stations in Indiana and at the Indianapolis Star 草莓传媒paper.