Artist Michael Garman and Louisville City Councilman Caleb Dickinson (L-R) unveil the Marshall Fire Pet Memorial on Sunday, honoring all the pets lost in the Dec. 30, 2021 fire. (Andrea Grajeda/Staff Writer)
On the day of the Marshall Fire, Louisville City Councilman Caleb Dickinson packed his two dogs, two cats, three chickens and fish into his minivan and evacuated. He acknowledges how lucky he was to have had the opportunity to evacuate his pet, and that many others didn’t have the same opportunity.
On Sunday, dozens of Louisville residents and their pets gathered at the Louisville Arboretum for the unveiling of the Marshall Fire Pet Memorial, honoring all the pets lost in the Dec. 30, 2021 fire.
The fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Louisville, Superior County, and unincorporated Boulder County.
The nonprofit organization Louisville Rising commissioned artist and firefighter Michael Garman to create the memorial. This sculpture sits on a rock and depicts a cat, dog, bird, snake, lizard, and horse shoe.
When Dickinson, president of the nonprofit organization Louisville Rising, meets with residents who lost their homes in the fire, he often talks about photo albums, items and pets lost in the fire. When Louisville Rising talked about raising money for a pet memorial, he realized it meant so much to residents to have a place to mourn and remember their pets.
“Because so many people have lost loved ones, we felt it was the right thing to do to create a memorial for their pets,” Mr Dickinson said.
Dickinson said artists who understand how devastating fires can be and the courage it takes to help others in the event of a fire are what communities need to create memorials. He said he was the person who had been there.
As a wildland firefighter, Garman said he has seen the worst of nature’s fury. He said each figure represents not just an animal species, but a shortened life.
“This piece is not only about loss, but also about how animals impact our lives and remind us of our ability to love and be loved,” Garman said.
He wants the sculpture to be more than just a symbol of death, but a symbol of how powerful love can be.
Mayor Chris Rea said while two people died in the fire, they were not the only loss the community had. He said people lost memories, history and pets that were part of their families.
Leh said that while grief is a universal emotion, when and how it comes to people is very personal.
“That’s the beauty of this art. It meets us with our feet firmly planted on the ground, without expectations or criticism,” Leh said.
Leh hopes the memorial will not only give residents a place to sit and remember their pets, but also a place to gather with neighbors and friends and share their experiences of the fire.
City Councilwoman Deborah Fahey said Louisville was lucky not to lose many people in the fire, but many pets were lost. Fahey also appreciates that the sculpture is placed in a fire-damaged arboretum so people can reflect on the fire and what the community has lost.
“Losing a pet means as much as losing a family member because they are so close to your heart,” Fahey said.
