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

Published on September 24, 2025

Every baby deserves to celebrate his or her first birthday, regardless of race, address or family name. Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther has made it a priority to address the challenges associated with infant mortality through CelebrateOne, the city’s infant mortality initiative. As part of this ongoing effort, CelebrateOne today 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.

Guests participated in remembrance activities including a Hearts on a Line display that invited families to share 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 family has to add another pinwheel to this field.”

The Field of Angels coincides with Infant Mortality Awareness Month and 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.