Portrait of a Warrior Kern County

Portrait of a Warrior Gallery

Always Remembered. Never Forgotten.

We honor the 27 brave men from Kern County who gave their lives in service to our country. Their sacrifice is a lasting reminder of the cost of freedom.

Ways to Give:

•    Monthly: $27
•    One-Time: $270 or $2,700
•    Any amount you can give makes a difference
Your support ensures these heroes are never forgotten.

A little bit about the Portrait of a Warrior Gallery:

The Fallen

The Gallery features the portraits of the 27 post 9/11 warriors from Kern County that were killed in action or died as a result of wounds suffered on the battlefield.

Each one tells the story of a young man – a soldier, a Marine, his life, his hobbies, his heart. Inlaid within the portrait are “mini portraits” that may portray someone playing soccer, holding his dog or, playing with his child. Each portrait is accompanied by a biography and the observer will instantly know something of the man behind the uniform.

It is an emotional journey to look into the eyes of a young man with so much hope, with a whole life ahead of him knowing they are not coming back. That THIS is the face of freedom. That THIS young man signed a blank check, In The Amount Of: Up To & Including His Life. And he did this for us. It is imperative that we recognize that the ultimate price was paid.

Hall of Honor

The hallway displays 22 crosses that are representative of and an education piece which powerfully brings awareness to Veteran and Active Duty Service Member suicides. It also displays black and white pencil drawings of Post 9/11 Veterans who didn’t die on the battlefield, but due to many other reasons. These drawings are poignant reminders of difficulties Veterans face after active duty service to our country. In addition, the hallway contains likenesses of two Vietnam Veteran Medal of Honor recipients, SP4 Leonard Alvarado and SSGT Larry Pierce. This area also includes America’s cost of freedom by listing the number of brave lives lost in each of our wars since the American Revolution.