Staying Apart, Together: Meet the 13-year-old girl sewing a 'COVID Memorial Quilt'

USA TODAY

The swirl of fear, uncertainty and isolation children are experiencing because of the pandemic can make it more difficult for them to cope with grief.

This week I've been struck by how our youngest generation is coping with a changed world. At a Catholic school on my block, elementary-aged children dutifully distance themselves and wear masks, but they're still laughing and playing. I've seen pictures of friends and family kids happily enjoying early at-home Halloween celebrations, Zooming into school and generally being the resilient little miracles that they are.

Right now I'm waiting anxiously for a new niece or nephew to be born (it's time to come out, kiddo), and I'm thinking that even though things are hard right now, they'll be OK. They may not remember a pre-COVID world, but hopefully they'll remember us coming out the other side of this as better, more caring people.

Today's big inspiration from the kids

A 13-year-old girl from California is honoring those we've lost to COVID-19.

Eighth-grade student Madeleine Fugate, from Studio City, Calif., has begun working on a "COVID Memorial Quilt," inspired by her mother, Katherine Fugate, who worked on the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt in the 1980s.

"In seventh grade, for our history final, we had to do a Community Action Project," Madeline told me. "That year it was 'Young Changemakers in a COVID-19 World.' I was watching the news and they kept saying 'the numbers are going up,' and it really upset me. I told my mom, 'They aren't numbers, they are people. People who died.'"

She started work on the quilt, and is accepting 8x8 squares from anyone who wants to honor a loved one who died. So far she has at least 70 contributions.

"I hope it is a big deal if that means healing for people. There has been no mourning or grieving," she said. "People have lost people they love who deserve to be remembered."

"I think it feels unsafe right now and kids all over the country are having a hard time," Madeleine added. "Plus, people are dying and there's a lot of sadness and pain. ... I think we all have to find a way to help. That's what this is all about. ... I love what (young activist Greta Thunberg) is doing for the environment. If you have money use it to heal our planet and not hurt it anymore. I love to sew so I'm making a quilt to help people heal."

You can learn more about the project here. And maybe use a quilt square to wipe away your tears.

Madeleine Fugate holds up her COVID-19 Memorial quilt.

Today's reads

We have a champion Fat Bear. Need I say more?
More personal finance advice. If your employer reduced their 401k match due to the pandemic, should you reduce your contribution? The answer: Nope.
Members of the LGBTQ community shared their stories with our USA TODAY Network Paper the Asbury Park press for National Coming Out Day.
In case you missed it yesterday: The World Food Program won this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
So, how is Tom Brady adjusting to football outside of New England?

In this July 4, 2013, file photo, a brown bear walks to a sandbar to eat a salmon it had just caught at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

Today's pets

Continuing our month celebrating pet adoption, here are some feline friends who are so cute I want to cry.

Meet Clementine (orange), Fig (Brown and orange) and Samantha (brown and white).

"Here are some photos of our recently adopted daughters," says Molly Hay of Corpus Christi, Texas. "We made the decision that we were ready to adopt another pet into our household (we already have a 5 year old rescue cat). We decided to look for two female litter-mates, as we have had some before and it was fantastic for them to have the companionship! Blessing in disguise, they ended up having THREE female litter-mates! We simply could not leave the third behind, so home we went with all three sisters. They are a joy and a delightful addition to our family!"