Dozens gathered at the Bissel Garden Saturday to pay tribute to those lost to COVID-19 four years after the pandemic took hold of the Bronx.

The event was hosted by State Sen. Jaamal Bailey, who lost a loved one to COVID-19 during the first month that the virus impacted the borough.

"On March 27 of 2020, my mother-in-law was taken," he recounted.

The virus hit the borough hard, which forced health professionals to adapt in a world full of isolation and fear.

"We kept changing our protocols on a daily basis, we developed a lot of mechanism to inform the staff but also to inform the community," said Cristina Contreras, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals Metropolitan.

The event was held next to a newly-planted cherry blossom tree meant to serve as a reminder of the impact of the pandemic.

Bailey said while so much was lost, some important lessons were learned.

"Lets not forget the lessons of COVID. That sense of community that we gathered," he said. "Every single person has value, has worth, most importantly, has love."

The event was held in partnership with the Jamaica Progressive League, the Jamaica Benevolent Arm Cultural Center and Bissel Garden.