The Lindy Boggs Medical Center, once known as Mercy Hospital, stands as more than just a building in Mid-City, New Orleans. For generations, it served as a sanctuary of healing and a testament to the resilience of our community. It is vital that even as we embrace new developments, we do not erase the history that so deeply ties our city together.

For many of us, Mercy Hospital wasn't just a place of medical care; it was where our children were born, where our loved ones fought for their lives, and where countless community members found solace and support. This emblematic structure has not only been a part of our architectural heritage but a cornerstone of collective memory and cultural identity. Its walls have witnessed the strength and spirit of New Orleans and its people. I had the pleasure of working there for almost 10 years as an Occupational Therapist. I worked all over the US and in London, England as an OT.   Mercy Hospital was my favorite place I worked.  It was many people's favorite place to work.

The photo is the only photo I have connecting me to the hospital. For decades this photo has been on my coffee table. It's a photo of Mr. Henry, a dedicated volunteer, and me at a Mercy and Baptist annual Christmas Party likely in 2002.  Mr. Henry was my date. Mr. Henry started volunteering there after his wife passed.  We were very close. Mr. Henry would meet me at the basement entrance to the acute care rehabilitation offices every day and walk me arm and arm to my office, slated to be a water retention part of the redevelopment I was living in NYC when the levees broke. I called Mr. Henry frantically on his landline and he never answered. I do not know where or how he died. He may have been volunteering in the building when the building flooded. 

Mercy Hospital was a very special place to work and was filled with love. I recall Dr. Russell, a well-respected and beloved MD, who made house calls to his patients who had difficulty going to his office. I personally took care of a legendary local music after he sadly had a stroke and wasn't able to play either his base or guitar. After he was discharged home, I attended a fundraiser for him at Sweet Lorraine's.  The land is sacred ground in more ways than I can explain. I am just one person with stories and memories and there are 1000s more. 

I agree that something needed to happen to the space and that has been needed for a long time.  It breaks my heart every time I see it boarded up and filled with graffiti. With that said, I am unable to find plans for a historic landmark designation or a permanent commemorative sight, like a garden or a sculpture or a mural or something major other than photos and book and brick projects which I think are nice. I just don't believe it's enough given the history of the building and the 10s of 1000s of people whose lives were lost on the land and the 10s of 1000s of people who dedicated their time to working in the beloved community hospital. I may have overlooked  hearing a blessing of the souls who were departed on this land or a thank you for the workers and volunteers and Sisters of Mercy who founded this healing place the day demolition started.  I also may have overlooked flowers being laid down to honor those I am referring to or the planting of a tree or something to pay respect to this sacred ground while it is being demolished. I firmly believe a temporary historic landmark should be established asap during the demolition phase. 

The demolition and proposed redevelopment of this historic site present a significant opportunity for honoring its legacy. We, the citizens and cultural bearers of New Orleans, urge the Mayor, the Orleans Parish Landmarks Commission, and Woodward Interests to ensure that the final redevelopment plans include a permanent, prominent, and publicly accessible historical landmark. Such a marker would not only pay homage to the past but also educate and inspire future generations about our collective journey.  By insisting on the inclusion of a landmark, we embrace our past while paving the way for a future that respects and celebrates our shared stories.

Preserving the legacy of Mercy Hospital aka Linday Boggs Medical Center  is a crucial step in maintaining the spirit of New Orleans. Let us act to ensure that this redevelopment respects the history and contributions of all those who came before us. We can foster growth while maintaining our rich cultural and historical roots that define our identity. The day the demolition started a gesture of planting trees for the number of years the hospital was standing would have been wonderful or briefing reporters about the history of the building so they didn't make callous, insensitive comments like Maddie Kerth of local Fox 8 news who thought it was funniest thing about the day was the City Council saying tearing the building down was bittersweet would have been appreciated. A call to all reporters to commemorate the legacy of the hospital and all of the lives it touched before launching into the demolition of an eyesore would have been a simple thing to do.  The Old Mercy and Lindy Boggs Hospital was much more than an "eyesore".

We call upon you to sign this petition and stand with us in safeguarding the historical essence of Mercy Hospital aka Lindy Boggs Medical Center  for future generations.