We have received the portrait of our son, SPC. Clay Patrick Farr. Thank you so very much... It is lovely. The artist did a wonderful job of capturing his likeness, and we will treasure it. It is so comforting to know that your organization is there... doing this for the Gold Star families, and recognizing our heroes and their sacrifice.

There is no greater love than that of a parent and child. No matter what happens, love runs deep and nothing can change it. The death of A1C Elizabeth Jacobson was the ultimate sacrifice that this family made in the name of Freedom. The essence in which you captured her shows her love, her happiness and her respect for life. The portrait will be a most cherished possession and I am looking so forward to presenting it to her Dad for him to hold and display proudly. I wish I could repay your kindness, and hope to do so in the near future so that you and your artists can continue with this very nobel project.

Again, let me express my thanks from the bottom of my heart. I am going to be displaying the portrait in my home until her father's birthday, and then I will present it to him, but in the meantime, I get to enjoy the essence.

We received the picture and it took our breath away. Right now it is sitting on the dinning room table and we just sit and stare at it. I'm just waiting for it to talk to me. Thank you again it is such a blessing. Travis' son will be here Saturday and I will let you know what he thinks. We are so excited for him to get the picture. You all are angels and thank you again that is all I can think to say. Have a blessed Christmas.

I want to let you know that I have received the painting from my husband... and I really love it from the bottom of my heart. My daughters were so surprised because they didn't know anything about it. We all love it so much. Could you please let the artist know that I really appreciate, what he(she) has done for us. It means so much. I will keep you all in my prayers and thank you again.

We received our portrait of Pv2 William A. Long from J. Musser. I cannot express how much this great and generous use of these artist's talents has meant to my family and I am sure to other families as well. I am overwhelmed everytime I look at his portrait, the thought of the 'heart' that would take on such a task fills me with hope. Thank you for what you do.

We were awed by the painting of Chad. You captured his essence. Thank you so very much.

I picked up my son’s beautiful painting Saturday, and had just come from the accident debriefing by the Army at the armory. That was a very hard thing to get through. It did help me to feel better, and to know what really happened... I’m getting ready to hang it in my living room. You really captured the light in his eyes! Just looking at it reminds me of his zest for life. I miss him so much, but the picture helps so much. You are a true patriot and a wonderful artist.

The words, “Thank you,” seem insignificant in allowing us to describe our gratitude for Matthew’s portrait. Your generosity, talent, and patriotism created this beautiful work of art which will last for generations. You captured Matthew’s fine strong features in each brushstroke, and especially his bright blue eyes. While at times he seems to be looking directly at us, he also seems to have his eyes focused upward towards the heavens... Each time we look at Matthew, we see more and more of his spirit, which gives us great pleasure and comfort. On July 16th, 2002, the 2.5 ton truck Matt and four other soldiers were riding in overturned in a downpour — he was killed instantly, along with two other soldiers. He was only 21.

Thank you for your patriotism, compassion, and generosity in painting Mark’s picture. By painting pictures of our fallen soldiers, you both honor them and give strength to the families who are left behind. We have displayed the painting in our family room over the fireplace. It is the first thing your eyes focus on as you enter the room. Everyone who has viewed it has been very complimentary. When it is our time, we will pass the painting on to Mark’s only child, 6-year-old Connor. He loves his dad deeply, and we are doing everything we can to keep his dad’s memory alive, and establish his dad’s character and values in him. We know Mark was a great son, father, gifted surgeon, outstanding soldier and patriot. He is truly one of our nation’s heroes. Your painting captures these qualities, and is deeply appreciated. Thank you, and God bless you and your work in honoring our fallen soldiers.

Thanks for the wonderful work you are doing for the families who have lost a loved one in Iraq: America is great because of the kindness of people like you!

We received the portrait of Aaron. It is a wonderful portrait of him. Thank you so much for taking the time and the effort to present us with such a wonderful gift. It was very generous of you.

Thomas was young, only 20, but looked like 15. He was in Iraq for only a short time— February ‘04 to June ‘04. He never expressed regrets for his decision to serve his country. He greatly appreciated the freedoms he had enjoyed in America, and often said that the Iraqi people should be able to enjoy those same freedoms. Thomas closed his letters home with the statement: “And Always Remember, Freedom Isn’t Free.” I am hoping to surprise the family with this portrait...

People remember him for his smile. He was a very handsome young man and loved being in the military. The thought of not coming back never crossed his mind. I loved him very much, I miss him, I lost a brother and my best friend. I still “write to him”... but I get no response. I want to thank you

As you can see, Mike is a fine-looking young man with a positive attitude and a big heart. He was killed in combat in Sadr City (a suburb of Baghdad) on April 4, 2004 during the first day of Shiite riots. Mike had been in Iraq for 11 months and has proudly served our country for 7 years as part of the 1st Armored Division. With just 7 days left in his one- year tour of duty, he volunteered to go out on a mission to rescue a platoon of soldiers who had been ambushed. He was shot that day and died instantly. Our world has been forever changed. The pain that has entered our lives is immeasurable. We are still just trying to get by one day at a time.

There are so many funny stories and proud memories I could share with you, but what made Aaron special, what made Aaron a Man, was his capacity to love. Although most people know we referred to Aaron as The Dog, my brothers and parents also called him Pure Love. When we spoke about him, we would say we all have so many flaws, but “Aaron, Aaron is Pure Love.”

To tell you the truth, it is hard to explain. My father asked me why I wanted to be a Marine, and I simply asked him how it felt to be a father. He said I’d have to wait until I have my own kids, and I said it was the same: something you feel and can’t explain... It’s not a money issue at all. Money doesn’t mean much compared to pride and happiness in what you do. I know I can find it in the Marines. When you die, you take no worldly possessions with you, just your mind and soul. The choice I make, I won’t regret! The choice I almost didn’t make, I would have regretted forever!

On 3 March 2004, my best friend called and told me his son Michael was killed in action on 2 March in Baghdad, when an improvised explosive device struck his convoy. Michael was laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery. Personally, it was a pleasure to watch this little boy grow up to become the man he became... he followed the duty of a soldier, when your country calls you, you’ve go to go to the sounds of the guns, and that’s exactly what he did. He loved the Army and everything it stood for. He believed in God, and loved his country. Thank you for all you are doing, and God bless you.

Jimmy was 29 years old when he was killed while flying a Blackhawk helicopter in Iraq on April 2nd. Although 29 years is not considered much by today’s standards, Jimmy’s life was full of goals set, goals accomplished, and plans for the future... who set about accomplishing his goals in a quiet manner without any announcements or banter. He was a legend at West Point for playing soccer while injured. Jimmy was a Roman Catholic, but he attended church with any friend who was willing to take him and discuss their religious beliefs. I could go on forever about our wonderful son.

My son, Bill, served in Desert Storm in the U.S. Navy. We lost Bill on August 10, 1990. My mother’s heart still aches after these many years, and I miss his laugh, his wit and his handsome face. One of a parent’s concerns is that the world will forget their child. What a wonderful tribute to have a beautiful representation of this young man’s countenance in the form of your artistry!

Erik was 25 years old and a First Lieutenant when he died in Iraq. He had been in the Oregon Army National Guard about three years when he volunteered to deploy with his unit. Erik graduated from high school with a 4.0 GPA and had to earn his way through college. He believed in God, loved his family and friends, and enjoyed life — a sweet and gentle soul, smart as a whip but not conceited. He was the son anyone would have been proud of. He died as he lived, doing what he believed in. Thank you so much.

Thank you so very much for sharing your gift of painting in such a personal way. Your kindness must bring tears of joy to each family you reach. Erik was loving, kind, bright, funny, generous in all ways... well, his room was always a mess, but who cares when you’re getting all these other wonderful attributes?

On 6 September 2004, Michael died in Iraq while serving his country. For his service, he posthumously received the Gold Star. He was a tall, slender man whose heart was larger than his body could contain, and whose wisdom was well beyond his tender years. Michael was always a friend to the forgotten, and kind to all he met. He was his own man, who quietly made his own decisions and lived with the consequences, never blaming others for his mistakes. Few men can claim greatness in 22 short years, but Michael was one of them.

I have tried to sit down quite a few times to write you, and somehow I am unable to come up with words that are adequate to thank you for Trevor's picture. From the moment I saw it, I have felt like I could reach out and touch Trev. You captured so much of him and who he is. We will treasure the picture always. Your generosity to us will not be forgotten. God bless you both.

Again, thank you so much for Sam’s portrait — I love it!!

My son, Joe, was killed in Fallujah, Iraq on March 11th, 2004 when an IED exploded the Humvee that he was riding in. I think it is a wonderful thing that you are doing for the families of the Fallen Heroes. Joey was a wonderful young man that only wanted to protect his family and his country that he loved so dearly.

My husband was killed Nov. 13, 2002, during a training mission at Hill Air Force Base. He was a hero in so many people’s eyes, including his children and myself. Our squadron was deployed to Iraq in January. Dillon was supposed to be commander of that deployment. He never made it to the war, but was a hero before the war even started. Thank you.

He enjoyed the guys in flight programs, and they were like a family. He was a good person, and always wanted to take care of my needs as his mother.

I remember desert skies
rocky trails and mountain highs.
      Hot dry days and crisp cool nights
      Nylon shelters and climbing tights.
Lightning storms and evergreens,
Ice cold winds and crystal streams.
      Sandstone reds and heavy racks,
      Cobalt blues and endless cracks.
Bright full moons and starlit skies,
Sunset fire and eagle cries.
      Lofty peaks and endless views,
      Lifelong friends I’ll never lose.
I remember being free, having fun,
and being me.
      I miss me.

I enjoyed talking with you the other day and very much appreciate your willingness to paint our son’s portrait. Mark served two years in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division and was assigned to the Forward Surgical Team. He was just a few days away from coming home when he was killed in action by an enemy rocket-propelled grenade, which killed one other soldier and injured several others. Mark was our only child and had such a future. On his shoulder epaulets is his ranks, but there should now be a silver oak leaf with the stem pointing toward the shoulder...

All that I can say is, “Oh, my God, it is beautiful.” My mom is going to freak when she gets this. Thank you so much for this portrait of Kenny, it is so real. Since Kenny’s death, you know, she hasn’t received anything so this is going to mean a great deal. With all my gratefulness and love...

“Thank you” seems so simple in contrast to what you have done for our hearts. When I look at his portrait — I hear his laugh. What you are doing for the families reminds us that our husbands, sons, brothers and fathers are truly heroes! Your kindness will not be forgotten.