LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A 10-foot tall stainless steel sculpture was unveiled at the Las Vegas Storytelling Garden on Thursday as part of the city's effort to honor and remember victims and survivors.
"Flight of Healing" was created by two Las Vegas locals who survived the shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival on Oct. 1, 2017.
Designers Sue Cornwell and Alicia Mierke joined Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Councilwoman Olivia Diaz (Ward3) for the unveiling ceremony.
Cornwell and Mierke have served on the Las Vegas Community Healing Garden Committee since its inception, volunteering to care for and tend the garden.
The sculpture's central tree trunk "embodies strength and will serve as a connection to the Tree of Life in the Healing Garden," according to the City of Las Vegas. Sculpted butterflies "represent healing and guiding light," and the artists say they chose the Monarch butterfly to symbolize a guardian angel.
The project was paid for through the Mayor's Fund for Las Vegas LIFE and cost approximately $39,000.
As the five-year mark of the 1 October shooting approaches, the Las Vegas community is paying tribute to those who lost their lives, those who survived, and the first responders whose efforts saved lives. Find more stories of remembrance at ktnv.com/1october.
