State orders wife to remove Cherry Grove angel statue. Could it be saved? What we know

Emalyn Muzzy
·3 min read
25

A popular Cherry Grove community marker will soon have to be taken down.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has told the family who put up an angel statue located at the point in Cherry Grove in North Myrtle Beach that it has to be removed by the end of April, said Jerri Ross Hayes, who helped place the angel. The angel has been there since August 2023.

It was put there to memorialize Andy Hayes, a Vietnam Marine veteran and a man who loved the ocean and Myrtle Beach. Jerri Ross Hayes, his wife, said the family spread his ashes in that location and put the angel up a month after he passed in July.

There was another angel statue in the area, but it was unrelated to the statue put up for Andy Hayes. That statue, known as the “Angel of Hope,” disappeared from the Cherry Grover point area in 2022 after surviving at least three hurricanes.

In the seven months that “Andy’s Angel” statue has been up, it’s gained so much attention that SCDHEC is worried it could harm the dunes, Jerri Ross Hayes said. Many people come to the statue and leave peace offerings such as shells and pine cones. SCDHEC is worried about the impact of the foot traffic on the dunes.

The statue is located on a walking path next to the dunes, said Maye Hayes Jepson, Andy’s sister.

The Sun News called and emailed SCDHEC about the angel statue but had not heard back at time of publication. Jepson sent a copy of the letter to The Sun News which said that any alteration to a critical area and any non-water dependent structure installation must be authorized by SCDHEC before the activity.

The family asked the city of North Myrtle Beach if there are other places where the statue could be placed. The city said Tuesday that it was looking into the situation.

A Facebook group dedicated to the angel has over 400 members who post pictures of the angel. Many people in the group are sad about the angel being taken down. People commented about how they come to see the angel whenever they go to the point.

Jerri and Andy Hayes at Inlet Point Villas. The angel statue was put up as a memorial to Andy Maye Hayes Jepson
Jerri and Andy Hayes at Inlet Point Villas. The angel statue was put up as a memorial to Andy Maye Hayes Jepson

The angel lost its head in December due to vandalism. Jerri Ross Hayes said many people offered to pay to fix the statue, but the family declined, instead choosing to keep it headless as a symbol of humanity.

“We’re all broken and this angel is broken,” Jerri Ross Hayes said. “My husband was not a perfect man and none of us are perfect.”

SCDHEC told the Hayes family that they cannot put it elsewhere on the beach, so they will take it down. Jerri Ross Hayes said she’s disappointed but understands. She will miss this spot that became a place to grieve for many.

“If it can’t be changed, I think it has served its purpose,” Jerri Ross Hayes said.