SADS Memorial Service Touching and Peaceful

AP-September 20, 2019

Washington DC hosted an International Memorial Service on Sunday to remember the more than 9,500 victims of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome that died between April and June of this year. Services took place throughout the city, at churches, mosques, and temples as well as at several historic sites.

A coordinated effort included more than a dozen locations where individuals read aloud the names of the fallen from lists provided to them by friends and families of the victims. The somber volunteers occasionally broke down into tears during the readings but were replaced seamlessly and the entire roll was called in a little over an hour, starting at noon.

City officials estimated that over a million people attended the ceremonies that marked what is widely believed to be the end of the crisis, despite warnings that have been issued by both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.