Day of the dead
by Don Scott
A man's face has been painted to resemble a skull. A paper, angel-shaped name tag is pinned to his shirt. On the tag is the name Henry, the name of the man's son. These dates are at the bottom of the tag:
12-20-16 – 5-10-19. That is how long Henry was alive. The man has come to Armory Park in Tucson, Arizona to attend the annual All Soul's Day event where children paint cardboard angel wings to wear during the Children's Parade later that evening.
I talked to a woman who lost her child when he was 4 days old. She found that people were uncomfortable when she talked about her son's death. A few months later, she got involved with All Souls Day. Talking with others who had lost a child helped her deal with her loss. The annual event helps her talk about her boy and celebrate him. Her son was a organ donor. His heart went to a little girl and his liver went to an infant boy.
All around the park there are homemade memorials to children who have passed. People share stories about the departed which bring laughter and tears. This event helps many who have lost a loved one.
