OMAHA, Neb. -- Thursday marked the two-year point since the first Nebraskan died of COVID-19.

Ralph Marasco of Omaha was 59. Since then, over 4,000 Nebraskans have died from the virus.

Rev. Joshua Sawyer of First Christian Church presented the idea to his congregation on Sunday for a display to remember the date and those lost.

Three days later, more than 4,000 flags had arrived at the church.

Approximately a dozen people from Sawyer's congregation arrived Wednesday afternoon to place the flags in a memorial.

It took about an hour in the drizzling rain to complete the project, Sawyer told news partner WOWT. A total of 4,050 flags were planted in the shape of the state of Nebraska.