Traveling memorial captures Illinois' loss

Since her son, Sean, was killed three years ago, Janet Maher has worn his military dog tags around her neck. It isn't much, but all she had.

Now, thanks to a traveling art exhibit, Maher has another tangible reminder of Sean.

"These portraits give us their eyes," said Maher, of Grayslake. "My grandson, who was born 9 months to the day that my son died, calls these dog tags 'Uncle Sean.' It is wonderful for us Illinois families to see the eyes again."

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn unveiled the Portrait of a Soldier memorial exhibition Wednesday at the Genesee Theater in Waukegan.

The exhibit is a series of hand-drawn portraits of more than 170 Illinois men and women who died in military service since Sept. 11, 2001.

Cameron Shilling, 23, of Mattoon, drew the first portrait in August 2004 after Army Spc. Charles Neeley, also of Mattoon, was killed in Iraq. A year later, Shilling decided to draw a portrait of every Illinois service member who has fallen during the War on Terror.

"The Portrait of a Soldier memorial is a moving tribute to men and women who have given their last full measure of devotion to democracy," Quinn said.

Quinn was joined Wednesday by family members of fallen soldiers: Maher; Army 1st Lt. David Giaimo and Army Sgt. First Class James Ochsner, both of Waukegan; Marine PFC Geoffrey Morris of Gurnee; Marine Cpl. Phillip Frank of Elk Grove Village; Marine Sgt. Edward G. Davis, of Antioch; and Army Staff Sgt. Donald Farmer, of Zion.

"These soldiers, they're not just statistics, not just names you read in the newspaper," Quinn said. "They were living, breathing human beings who should always remain in our hearts and in our memories."

The traveling exhibit has been viewed by thousands of people in more than 25 cities and towns across the state.

Portrait of a Soldier will be on display daily from noon to 5:30 p.m. through Tuesday. On Saturday, the theater will be closed for a performance.

Dylan Morris, 10, of Gurnee, stood near the portrait of his brother, Geoffrey, who was 19 when he died in April 2004 in Iraq.

Dylan said looking at the picture made him happy and sad at the same time.

"It really looks like him," Dylan said. "It makes me remember the good times. We used to play video games together."

Janet Maher's son was a 19-year-old Marine when he died Feb. 2, 2005 as a result of hostile action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

"It will be three years on Saturday and I'm just starting to wake up to reality. I still expect him to walk through the door," Maher said adding Lake County family members of fallen soldiers have formed a tight-knit community.

"It's a club no one wants to join," she said. "You are sorry you know them, but you latch onto each other because they are the only ones who understand."