Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen on Thursday unveiled a memorial to honor lives lost from COVID-19.

The hospital’s Garden of Remembrance provides a safe space for families still grieving, like Sebastian resident Maria Isabel Palomo, who lost her 27-year-old daughter to the virus.

Palomo’s first-born daughter of three, Brittany, made her dream come true of becoming a registered nurse at Valley Baptist. But she lost her life to COVID-19 about four months ago.

Palomo says she is still struggling with her daughter’s passing.

“It's hard. Everyday I take it day by day, but the pain is still there,” Palomo said. “It's never going to go away."

Palomo says Brittany's memory can live on with the hospital’s new garden.

“I am grateful what they did because she is remembered by all of her co-workers and that she was loved by everybody,” Palomo said.

The garden is open to the public and available for anyone visiting Valley Baptist in Harlingen.