Gilly Carter, 43, of Nederland began assembling a Día de los Muertos altar in mid-October. Carter is an emergency room nurse at Golden Triangle Emergency in Port Arthur and works in surgical recovery at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont. She said the altar is a way to reconnect with her Hispanic heritage and remember people who shaped her life.
The altar holds photographs and mementos of relatives, friends and pets, some from her childhood. Among those remembered are her grandfather, uncle, grandmother and godparents. Carter said her grandmother, who was born in Wharton and died of Alzheimer's disease in 2017, has a special place in her connection to the tradition. Carter also includes pets from throughout her life, with some of their ashes displayed next to favorite toys and treats. She said she considers her animals her children.
Carter said each item on the altar has a purpose. Marigolds are meant to guide spirits home, papel picado represents the wind, and candles provide light. She also burns copal incense and sets out a pitcher of water, Mexican sweet bread and sugar skulls. "I just wanted to get closer to my culture," she said.