With those families in mind, Crimestoppers of Metro Alabama is honoring victims in a deeply personal way, transforming grief into remembrance through a memorial Christmas tree now on display in Homewood.
For several years, Crimestoppers has invited families who have lost loved ones to violent crime to gather during the holidays and create Christmas ornaments in their honor. Each ornament carries a name, a memory and a story, and for years they hung from a tree inside the organization’s downtown office.
Over time, the number of ornaments grew — each one representing a life cut short. A call from the Homewood Rotary Club provided a new opportunity. The club offered Crimestoppers the chance to purchase a tree and include it in the city’s holiday display at Homewood Central Park, allowing the tribute to reach the broader community.
Executive Director Bob Copus said the tree stands as more than a decoration. It is a public acknowledgment of loss and a reminder that behind every unsolved case is a family still grieving.
“How would you feel? You get that phone call that that person’s been taken by a violent crime — usually a senseless violent crime, and sometimes they’re not even the intended target,” Copus said. “It leaves an empty, empty hole in your heart, and Christmas sometimes actually makes it worse. So that’s why we put this tree out here — to give them hope. Let’s remember their names.”
While some families represented on the tree have since seen justice, many continue to wait. Copus said the display is meant to keep those stories alive and to ensure the victims are not forgotten as the community celebrates the season.
The Crimestoppers tree now stands among several others in the Homewood holiday display, but its meaning is unique. Each ornament serves as a quiet tribute to families carrying loss through the holidays — some ornaments dating back to 2010 — and a reminder of the lives behind the statistics.
