'One death' only focus as global toll nears 1M

Sitting around a picnic table, a group of girls is encouraged to write down whatever y want on strips of paper. Six-year-old Sofia Scala asks, "Can we write D?" Moments later, she scribbles "Ddy" in pink marker.

art rapy session is held every week at Emma's Place in New York City borough of Staten Island for children ages six to 10 years old. grief center was founded in 2013 to help families through grieving process, which now includes children talking about losing a loved one due to coronavirus.

"We woke up," Sofia began, and her mor, Angela Conti, continued, "and n one day Ddy was sick and n he was gone."

Conti says her husband, Jason Scala, was a healthy 47-year-old who got sick early in pandemic and deteriorated quickly. He died in late April from complications of COVID-19. After his death, Conti says she and her two daughters were in quarantine because one of her kids h also tested positive for coronavirus.

"We were isolated for about six weeks after it happened, which was also hard on m because when a tragedy happens, you have your loved one next to you or you have your friends next to you or your teachers next to you. But it was just us," says Conti.

Grief counselors say pandemic has created ditional trauma for people mourning a loved one. Many have been unable to keep a bedside vigil or say ir final goodbyes at hospital. Memorial services and funerals have all been curtailed. Support groups specific to COVID-19 loss have sprung up across country.

Carolyn Oglio –Taverner, co-founder of Emma's Place, says virus has also taken away children's way of life - going to school, seeing ir friends, or playing sports. She says art rapy gives m a chance to show ir emotions, especially when y may not have words for it. "re's something very powerful about putting something down concretely on paper that not only allows m to express loss, but almost allows m to come face to face with it and begin coping with it."

Conti is in process of moving from Jersey City, New Jersey, to live with her parents on Staten Island to give her daughters some stability as she goes to work. She knows world is closing in on grim milestone of one million deaths, but that's not what she's focused on.

" number to me is one death," Conti said wiping away tears as Sofia reached over to give her mom a hug.

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