“Dear Grandmom,” the letter begins.
“I wish that you could know that I now teach music.”
“I’m proud of your service to our country during World War II.”
“I wish I could have said goodbye.”
On Wednesday, Resolve Philly and 20 partner newsrooms launched a site meant to give people something the coronavirus pandemic took from a lot of us — the chance to say goodbye. With love: Messages to those lost to COVID is “not an obituary, it’s not a summary of a person’s life, it’s what I would say to you if I had the chance to say goodbye,” said Resolve Philly senior collaborations editor Eugene Sonn.
The idea for the project was pitched last summer at the nonprofit that works to increase collaboration, equity and inclusion in journalism, but it never got out of the idea stage. After Sonn started at Resolve in the fall, a conversation with colleague Jean Friedman-Rudovsky brought it back to the table. Maybe, Sonn suggested, this was a project for the first anniversary of the pandemic.
The 20 participating newsrooms work together through Broke In Philly, a collaborative reporting project around economic mobility. Partners include the Philadelphia Inquirer, Billy Penn, WURD Radio and AL DÍA News. Newsrooms worked with participants and helped direct them to the project.
It’s all simple enough. The site has photos, drawings by artist R.A. Friedman, and letters from loved ones. Sometimes they’re written and submitted by that person. When they’re stuck, a reporter at one of the 20 partner newsrooms helps them find the right words.
The project launches with eight goodbyes — seven letters and one video. Sonn expects more submissions after people see some examples. If your newsroom wants to try this, he said, get organized up front so written submissions, photos and information is easy to find.
It’s doubly important that they’re not just happy with the end product, Sonn said, but that the process itself is one they feel honors the person they’ve lost.
He has already gotten emails from family members grateful for the project and the opportunity it’s giving them. Sometimes, they didn’t know they even needed it.
“I feel like people are entrusting something to us,” he said.
“Although you are gone from this Earth, you cannot and will not be forgotten,” a granddaughter wrote.
“I hope one day I’m lucky enough to provide a space where my children, and their children, can gather to create lasting positive memories,” a grandson wrote.
“I wonder whether your life was everything you wanted,” a daughter wrote. “I hope it was at least close.”
