Field of Angels Memorial Honors 1,539 Babies Lost in Franklin County

Tiffany Groce sharing her story of loss

Every baby deserves to celebrate his or her first birthday, regardless of race, address, or family name. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has made it a priority to address the challenges associated with infant mortality with CelebrateOne, the city’s infant mortality initiative. As part of the ongoing effort, CelebrateOne on Sept. 23 hosted Field of Angels: Honoring Franklin County’s Babies, a community memorial remembering the 1,539 infants who died before reaching their first birthday between 2014 and 2024.

Ginther and CelebrateOne joined families, community leaders, and health partners on the lawn of City Hall to honor these children and reaffirm the city’s commitment to ending infant mortality.

“The Field of Angels is a powerful reminder that infant mortality is not just a statistic — it is a representation of 1,539 children who should be with us today,” said Ginther. “Columbus and CelebrateOne are committed to making sure every baby born here has the chance to reach their first birthday.”

The City Hall lawn was transformed into a Field of Angels Memorial with 1,539 white pinwheels—each one symbolizing a child’s life lost. The display invited those attending to pause in grief and hope and offered a reminder that every loss carries a story, a name, and a love that fuels the fight to protect the next generation.

A mother finds her child’s name

Guests participated in remembrance activities including a Hearts on a Line display where families clipped written notes of love, names, and affirmations, and a Commitment Wall where community members shared personal pledges to carry this work forward.

“For every family here, the loss of a baby is not a number: It is a name, a face, a love never forgotten,” said Danielle Tong, Executive Director of CelebrateOne. “Field of Angels is about honoring that love and that grief, and reminding families they are not alone. We at CelebrateOne stand with you, and we will carry your stories forward as we work for the day when no parent has to add another pinwheel to this field.”

The Field of Angels coincides with Infant Mortality Awareness Month that marks a decade of work by CelebrateOne along with families, providers and partners to reduce infant mortality and create a healthier community for Columbus’ youngest residents.