‘It’s a sad day’: Cherry Grove family removes ‘Andy’s Angel’ after notice from DHEC

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - A statue honoring a brother, veteran, and friend was removed from the sand in Cherry Grove on Wednesday afternoon.

Back in August, Maye Jepson put a statue she calls Andy’s Angel on the beach to memorialize her brother, Andy Hayes, who passed away unexpectedly in July.

However, she received a letter from DHEC in March claiming the statue wasn’t allowed to be there because of laws put in place to protect the Dunes.

DHEC sent Jepson another letter earlier this week with alternative spots to move the statue. Jepson said none of the spots would’ve honored her brother properly.

Jepson said throughout the time the angel has sat on the beach other people have used it to remember their loved ones as well.

It’s so much more than Andy’s Angel now,” said Jepson. " it’s a place where people can come and leave a memory”

A dozen people came to the statue to say goodbye including Karen Allen.

Allen lost her sister last year and said the statue was a place where she could find solace.

“I spent the week before she actually passed, I was down here every day and it just gave me peace just to be down here, I don’t know why,” said Allen. " I just felt close to her and she was definitely a beach person, but I come down here in memory of my sister, Donna McGill.”

Part of memorializing loved ones at the statue included folks placing shells, rocks, feathers, and, other items beneath the angel’s wings.

Jepson said even though they have to remove the statue, they won’t be removing those items.

“Well at first they told me that I had to remove everything. I said ‘No I did not place those shells there, those are somebody else’s memories’ so I’m only responsible for removing Andy’s angel, so that’s the only thing we’re gonna move,” said Jepson.

Jepson said the family plans to bring Andy’s Angel to the upstate where Andy lived before. She said they hope to find somewhere the Angel can mean something to people once again.

“It’s a sad day, a very sad day, not just for my family, not just for my family, but for all the families that search out this angel,” said Jepson.

Jepson said Andy’s statue may be gone, but the memories of our loved ones will never fade away.

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