A wave of candlelight circles the globe in honor of lost children

Family and friends of deceased children gathered at the BeachHouse Beanery on Sunday, Dec. 13, to grieve and remember their young loved ones.

By Anastasia Pagello
| 8:21 p.m. December 13, 2015

Carol Fischer and Rosa Chambers celebrate their children's lives with floating lanterns at the BeachHouse Beanery on Sunday, Dec. 13. Photos by Anastasia Pagello

Every year a wave of light circles the globe as each time zone lights candles, the evening of Dec. 13, in memory of the children who have passed.

David Valinski lights a lantern in honor of all the children who died too soon.

"I was carrying twins, one boy and one girl, I lost them at birth," Deb Boyer said. "I still love them, and always will, they will never be forgotten."

Judy McKinnon, Judie Allen and John Wachter

"Every child's death is so real to me now since losing Julie," Owner of BeachHouse Beanery Carol Fischer said. "She is loved, and she is missed."

Wendy Duran lights a candle in honor or Viviana Trinkle's aunt Nikki.

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“Today I am here for all of you: you will survive, you will move forward, and you will be ok.” Carolyn Cass-Larmore, mother of Joseph Cass

Grieving families gathered around candlelight as they watched the sky fill with floating lanterns in honor of their deceased children. “Tonight we remember our own children and honor all the children around the world who died too soon,” Said Donna Lunsford, founder of Parents in Mourning.

Lunsford has organized the event locally for the past 13 years, after the loss of her son Jonathan. “Giving people hope after their child has died is how I found my way to cope with my loss,” she said. “I have been

Judie Allen and John Wachter launched a floating lantern for their daughter. "One thing I have learned is that you will live through the loss of a child, but you will never stop grieving," Judie Allen said.

contacted by many parents as time goes by to thank me for helping them and that's very satisfying.”

RoseMarie Hannah comforted by Carolyn Cass-Larmore. "I await the day Thomas and I can be together again, when I pass I know he will come for me," RoseMarie Hannah said.

The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting organizes the annual event to memorialize the lost children. At 7 p.m. on December 13, each year grieving family members and friends gather in every time zone around the world to comfort each another and remember their beloved children.

“The only way I have learned to cope is by being around others who are dealing with the same tragedy,” Lunsford said.

“Once you open up about losing a child, your heart is so raw,” Owner of BeachHouse Beanery Carol Fischer managed to say while holding back tears. Fischer lost her daughter Julie, who was only 21 years-old at the time. The Fischer’s have hosted the event at the Beanery for the past two years.

Each family was given the opportunity to share memories of their child before releasing floating lanterns into the night. “If I have learned one thing, it is that we are not alone,” Barbara Coxwell said.