Thousands come together to celebrate lost loved ones in 'Light Up a Life' event
azfamily.com
November 20, 2017
By Shane DeGrote, Content Producer
Thanksgiving and the holidays are usually a time to be with family and that can be tough for families who have recently lost loved ones.
Thousands gathered Sunday to celebrate those loved ones at an event called "Light Up a Life."
The crowd of more than 1,500 people at Steele Indian School Park was filled with friends and family of those who spent their final moments in the care of Hospice of the Valley, the event organizers who say the annual event gets bigger every year.
"She wanted to be at home," said Laura Inlow, whose mother died from cancer in May. "And so by having them, we were able to take care of them at home until she passed."
Hospice of the Valley is a non-profit organization that's been serving Valley families for four decades, providing end of life care.
"They don't want to have more tests, but they want to be supported. They want to be in their own home," said Debbie Shumway with Hospice of the Valley. "They want to have their pets around them or their grandkids or their family members. And so that's when our team comes in and can support them wherever they are."