Portraits of true patriots
A moving exhibition of hand-drawn portraits of every Illinois serviceman and woman who has died in service since Sept. 11 made its way to the suburbs Friday.
"Portrait of a Soldier," a collection of more than 180 drawings by artist Cameron Schilling of downstate Mattoon, will be displayed at the Schaumburg Township District Library, 130 S. Roselle Road, through Thursday.
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, along with parents and friends of many of the local heroes depicted, opened the exhibition Friday.
"There is a saying that service to others is the rent we pay for our time here on Earth," Quinn said. "In order to have a democracy, it requires very special people to go to faraway places like Iraq to defend our democracy."
He praised the hard work of the parents for raising their children well, and the portrait project itself for keeping alive public awareness of their sacrifices.
"If you look into the eyes of these portraits, you'll see what the spirit of patriotism is all about," Quinn said.
Schilling, 24, drew the first portrait in August 2004 when fellow Mattoon resident Charles Neeley was killed in Iraq. A year later, while attending Eastern Illinois University, Schilling decided to draw every Illinois military person who'd died in service since the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Danuta Kowalik, the mother of Marine Lance Cpl. Jakub Kowalik, said it was an honor for her to return to Schaumburg, where she and her son had made their home at the time of his death in 2003.
"It's a place I learned I can count on people," she said.
The reason she later moved, she said, was the memories were still overwhelming a year later.
"Keep our memory alive and cherish our loved ones," she told Friday's audience.
Roy and Georgette Frank of Elk Grove Village said this was a difficult time for them because the fourth anniversary of the death of their son, Marine Lance Cpl. Phillip Frank, approaches on April 8.
They were recently upset to learn that a war protester was using the name of their son and the circumstances of his death to further his cause.
"He may have known the details of the death of our son, but he did not know the details of the life of our son -- the pride, the love of our country, the love of our way of life," Georgette Frank said.
Robert Cummings, grandfather of Marine Cpl. Ryan Cummings of Streamwood, joined Ryan's parents, John and Melissa, in remembering the young man they lost.
Robert Cummings flew Air Force missions in World War II and felt lucky to have survived -- a luck his grandson would not share.
"He did a lot for me, and did a lot for our country," Robert Cummings said.
Melissa Cummings was taken aback by the sheer number of portraits looking back at her.
"I still think it's amazing when you look around this room and think all these kids aren't going to be part of our future." she said, "All these great people."