CLEVELAND, Ohio — We're returning to a cemetery in Old Brooklyn, which was previously left heavily damaged and overgrown.
"It's sacrilege. Bring it back to the way it should be," Karen Parks previously told News 5 back in 2023.
Thanks to a team of local sisters, they have worked tirelessly to restore the historic space to what it once was.
Linda Cameron and Karen Parks initially said they felt defeated, and they weren't getting anywhere with the process.
But now, they're feeling inspired and reinvigorated.
They say they are bringing constant positive changes and new eyeballs to Brookmere Cemetery.
They say the ongoing attention through News 5 and social media has helped breathe new life into the location, and they're just getting started.
We returned to Brookmere Cemetery nearly a year after we last checked in and almost two years since Cameron first contacted News 5.
"We had come into the cemetery and had seen all of these headstones in smithereens. You know—all over the place," Cameron said.
From cleaned headstones to fresh landscaping and American Flags to honor the Veterans who fought for our freedom — visible change is well underway.
"We get our list of volunteers—so we enacted our list this year. Brought them on and did our annual spring clean-up," Parks said.
Parks and Cameron founded the Brookmere Cemetery Preservation Coalition.
Growing up in the area and studying genealogy, they discovered a genuine connection and an affinity for restoring the treasured space.
"25 relatives that we have buried that we never knew," Cameron said.
Cameron says there are still several aging and sinking stones.
Those, coupled with what seems like constant inclement weather, have posed challenges.
Recent storms brought down a massive tree.
What initially seemed to be vandalism was actually more than meets the eye.
"These old trees. We have tons of trees here. They just upheave with the roots all of these headstones and then they go rolling down," Cameron said.
The sisters contacted News 5 more than two years ago pleading for help from the city to come landscape, clean up and assist in preservation efforts.
"You responded. And from getting no response from anybody, Mike.... It got us our foot in the door. Nobody was returning our calls and we didn't know where to start and with you coming in and helping us. Suddenly, the phone started ringing," Parks said.
The sisters forged a relationship and instant bond with the City of Cleveland elected officials and cemetery staffers.
They say they have been instrumental in the clean-up and safekeeping of the property.
"We've got a great relationship working with John (Novak). We're so thankful for him. He's been so helpful to us. He just gets it," Cameron said.
Cameron and Parks' efforts even sparked a national preservation group's attention.
The group visited here last summer to conduct a hands-on workshop for over 150 guests.
"This is the one we did when 48 States Tour came out in August. And the top of the tablet had fallen over," Parks said.
Parks says they remain passionate and are looking toward the future.
They're laser-focused on fixing up and restoring every single headstone of the 3,500 people buried at Brookmere.
"We're gonna straighten this one. So, each and everyone—they'll be in a line," Cameron said.
They plan to celebrate and honor each veteran laid to rest, continue working with the Old Brooklyn Historical Society and research their roots in the off months.
"A lot of these veterans have real stories to tell—so behind the scenes or Phase 2 of this project is gonna be pulling those details together and telling their stories. Everyone has a story," Cameron said.
Cameron says it's their responsibility to share military stories, as there are several veterans buried at Brookmere from the Revolutionary, Civil, and Spanish-American Wars.
She says she has also discovered that Veterans can get new headstones through a series of paperwork, documentation and an application process.
Over time—they will work to replace them.
News 5 will continue to Follow-Through and track the ongoing upgrades and Veteran preservation efforts.
