A new way to reflect and remember

An Angel of Hope stands in the center of Coal City’s Campbell Memorial Park, a place for reflection and remembrance.
For 14 years the angel statue has served as a symbol of hope for all parents whose children have become angels, a place for bereaved parents to find peace, comfort and healing.
The local statue was brought to the community by Angels of Hope, Inc., and each year on Dec. 6, they invite the community to gather around the angel for a candlelight remembrance vigil.
As the day of remembrance approaches, the organization’s board of directors has announced its decision to cancel this year’s vigil in light of the on-going coronavirus pandemic.
“Our priority has always been and will continue to be a beacon of hope to those that have lost a child, but we must take into consideration the health and safety of our guests, supporters and community,” said Angels of Hope board member Nicole Lusson.
“We recognize that many look forward to Dec. 6 every year as a time to reflect, remember and celebrate the memory of a child,” she noted.
Although the traditional evening ceremony will not be held, the organization’s members encourage the public to continue with the tradition of placing a single white flower at the base of the angel in honor of a lost child.
Through the generosity of Matt Baskerville, of Reeves & Baskerville Funeral Homes, single flowers will be located near the angel should individuals be unable to bring one for placement.
The concept for the angel statue is taken from Richard Paul Evans’ best-selling book, “The Christmas Box,’ in which an elderly woman grieves the loss of her daughter at the base of an angel monument. Although the story is mostly fictional, the monument once existed and is believed to have been destroyed by floods. A statue was later commissioned by the book’s author in response to accounts of parents seeking out the angel as a place to grieve and heal.
Coal City’s statue is the 69th nationwide and was dedicated to the community in October 2006.
“Although there will not be an organized event this year, Campbell Park remains a place for you to reflect, remember and cherish the memories of our children in the days and years to come. We wish you faith, love, grace and most of all hope,” Lusson said.