GOVERNOR HOGAN: Exactly one year ago I announced the state of Maryland’s first confirmed case of COVID-19, and I declared a state of emergency. In those early hours of the crisis, I began to take unprecedented actions to bring our entire arsenal to bear against this invisible enemy. At that time, none of us could fathom the toll that this global pandemic would take on our lives and our very way of life. But it was no surprise that Marylanders rose to meet this crisis with great courage and compassion, from doctors and nurses coming out of retirement to help on the front lines to National Guard citizen soldiers distributing meals to kids, to people volunteering, giving blood and donating to food banks, and the businesses that shifted their entire operations overnight in order to make masks, produce hand sanitizer, and manufacture face shields. Together, we marshaled an incredible statewide response, and in doing so, we showed the nation and the world what it means to be Maryland Strong.
After confronting a threat unlike anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes, each day now brings us closer to a return to normalcy. And we can finally see that light at the end of the tunnel. But as we do, we resolve to never forget any of the 7,748 Marylanders who have been taken from us by this deadly virus, many of whom couldn’t even have their loved ones by their side when they passed. To their sons and daughters, their brothers and sisters, their mothers and fathers, and all their loved ones, we know that we cannot bear as you do the unimaginable burden of their loss, but we grieve with you and we resolve to keep each of you in our hearts and in our prayers, and we resolve to honor the healthcare heroes and first responders whose incredible sacrifices saved us from losing far more of our fellow citizens, citizens of our state who will be forever grateful. And we have resolved to have newfound faith and confidence in the blessings of freedom that we share and the everyday parts of life that we should never again take for granted.
We know that we can never reclaim the time we lost over this past year, but each of us can make the days ahead count that much more.
Tonight we are reminded of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., that darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.
May our love for one another light our path forward because we truly are all in this together. We will get through this together. We will emerge better, stronger, and more resilient than ever.
At this time, I would ask all Marylanders to join me in a moment of silent prayer in memory of all those we have lost.
REVEREND CALHOUN: Governor, First Lady, together we remember the 7700 persons who have died from COVID-19 in Maryland. The first person who contacted coronavirus a year ago, in Montgomery County, we come to remember. We come to remember the anniversary of the day we confirmed the first COVID-19 cases in the state of Maryland. The first of many. We are ceremonially gathered together today to acknowledge. We also acknowledge the first person who died 13 days later, a Prince George’s County resident, another milestone. A monumental and historic event that showed the beginning of the storm. An individual rain drop that soon became a part of the shower that gave way to a downpour that quickly became a thunderstorm. The storm of COVID-19 sending off alerts and advisories and warnings.
We were ushered into an endless chasm, dark and mysterious, winding and twisting, through unknown passageways and unpredictable closures and dead ends. We traveled a path full of hurt and pain, death and loss, hospitalization. A path where we discovered businesses and churches closed, where our hospitals became battle zones, handling the onslaught of patients while front line workers became overwhelmed, a path that did not lead to hospital and nursing home visits, a path without comfort for those who would die along that path.
What a story. Unbelievable and unscripted, unparalleled. A story of intrigue and disaster, tragedy and unfortunate loss, a story that is partially written with alternative facts and denial. Disregard for science and statistical truth. A story of stay-at-home orders and closures. A story written of death, hospitalizations, and family separations. A story that is still being written.
From my vantage point, one that will have a happy ending. A story whose epilogue will have good news. In fact, a path that will lead to greater prosperity, as businesses reopen, benefit from investments of our great state and federal government, and as the surge of customers wait to return, a tunnel that was very dark and seemingly endless now has light at the end of it. At the end of the tunnel. No, we’re not out of it yet, but can’t you see it? The light at the end of the tunnel? I can. And then the storm, that terrible storm that was so damaging and destructive. I’ve glad to say that the storm is passing over. Hallelujah.
And so as we prepare to give a closing benediction, please note that we have gathered remembering but we leave rejoicing, remembering a tragic beginning but rejoicing over a promising end, remembering and honoring those who have died, but rejoicing over the first responders and front line workers who sacrificed on our behalf, remembering the loss of over a half a million Americans and over 7700 Marylanders, but rejoicing in the reduction in hospitalizations and infection and death, and rejoicing over the free vaccines that are now available.
So with the utmost gratitude, we remember the storm and the tunnel, the bitter path and the ominous story. But rejoice over and declare once again that the storm is passing over and that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and that there’s good news at the end of the story and the path will lead to greater prosperity.
Let us pray.
Father, we thank You. We honor You, Lord. We thank You, God, for the leadership of our Governor and for, oh, God, the visionary leadership that You have provided through this administration. We thank You, Lord, for all of the persons who sacrificed, who worked long hours. We thank You, Lord, and we pray for those and ask that their souls will rest in peace. Bless all the families that were affected. And thank You for allowing us to turn the corner. We give You the glory and the honor and the praise. Oh, God, thank You for what’s up ahead, a better day, Lord.
So Father God, while we run this race, we don’t want to run it in vain. In the Lord’s name we pray. And all of God’s people said, amen.
After confronting a threat unlike anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes, each day now brings us closer to a return to normalcy. And we can finally see that light at the end of the tunnel. But as we do, we resolve to never forget any of the 7,748 Marylanders who have been taken from us by this deadly virus, many of whom couldn’t even have their loved ones by their side when they passed. To their sons and daughters, their brothers and sisters, their mothers and fathers, and all their loved ones, we know that we cannot bear as you do the unimaginable burden of their loss, but we grieve with you and we resolve to keep each of you in our hearts and in our prayers, and we resolve to honor the healthcare heroes and first responders whose incredible sacrifices saved us from losing far more of our fellow citizens, citizens of our state who will be forever grateful. And we have resolved to have newfound faith and confidence in the blessings of freedom that we share and the everyday parts of life that we should never again take for granted.
We know that we can never reclaim the time we lost over this past year, but each of us can make the days ahead count that much more.
Tonight we are reminded of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., that darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.
May our love for one another light our path forward because we truly are all in this together. We will get through this together. We will emerge better, stronger, and more resilient than ever.
At this time, I would ask all Marylanders to join me in a moment of silent prayer in memory of all those we have lost.
REVEREND CALHOUN: Governor, First Lady, together we remember the 7700 persons who have died from COVID-19 in Maryland. The first person who contacted coronavirus a year ago, in Montgomery County, we come to remember. We come to remember the anniversary of the day we confirmed the first COVID-19 cases in the state of Maryland. The first of many. We are ceremonially gathered together today to acknowledge. We also acknowledge the first person who died 13 days later, a Prince George’s County resident, another milestone. A monumental and historic event that showed the beginning of the storm. An individual rain drop that soon became a part of the shower that gave way to a downpour that quickly became a thunderstorm. The storm of COVID-19 sending off alerts and advisories and warnings.
We were ushered into an endless chasm, dark and mysterious, winding and twisting, through unknown passageways and unpredictable closures and dead ends. We traveled a path full of hurt and pain, death and loss, hospitalization. A path where we discovered businesses and churches closed, where our hospitals became battle zones, handling the onslaught of patients while front line workers became overwhelmed, a path that did not lead to hospital and nursing home visits, a path without comfort for those who would die along that path.
What a story. Unbelievable and unscripted, unparalleled. A story of intrigue and disaster, tragedy and unfortunate loss, a story that is partially written with alternative facts and denial. Disregard for science and statistical truth. A story of stay-at-home orders and closures. A story written of death, hospitalizations, and family separations. A story that is still being written.
From my vantage point, one that will have a happy ending. A story whose epilogue will have good news. In fact, a path that will lead to greater prosperity, as businesses reopen, benefit from investments of our great state and federal government, and as the surge of customers wait to return, a tunnel that was very dark and seemingly endless now has light at the end of it. At the end of the tunnel. No, we’re not out of it yet, but can’t you see it? The light at the end of the tunnel? I can. And then the storm, that terrible storm that was so damaging and destructive. I’ve glad to say that the storm is passing over. Hallelujah.
And so as we prepare to give a closing benediction, please note that we have gathered remembering but we leave rejoicing, remembering a tragic beginning but rejoicing over a promising end, remembering and honoring those who have died, but rejoicing over the first responders and front line workers who sacrificed on our behalf, remembering the loss of over a half a million Americans and over 7700 Marylanders, but rejoicing in the reduction in hospitalizations and infection and death, and rejoicing over the free vaccines that are now available.
So with the utmost gratitude, we remember the storm and the tunnel, the bitter path and the ominous story. But rejoice over and declare once again that the storm is passing over and that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and that there’s good news at the end of the story and the path will lead to greater prosperity.
Let us pray.
Father, we thank You. We honor You, Lord. We thank You, God, for the leadership of our Governor and for, oh, God, the visionary leadership that You have provided through this administration. We thank You, Lord, for all of the persons who sacrificed, who worked long hours. We thank You, Lord, and we pray for those and ask that their souls will rest in peace. Bless all the families that were affected. And thank You for allowing us to turn the corner. We give You the glory and the honor and the praise. Oh, God, thank You for what’s up ahead, a better day, Lord.
So Father God, while we run this race, we don’t want to run it in vain. In the Lord’s name we pray. And all of God’s people said, amen.