Combat Veterans creating memorial statue to honor Benghazi heroes Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods

Artist’s rendering of the Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods Memorial Statue courtesy of VeteransArt.org. For a larger view click on the image.

Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, the two heroes from the Benghazi attack to whom many owe their lives, will be honored in a monument created by their fellow US military combat veterans. Doherty and Woods selflessly gave their lives on September 11, 2012 knowing that there would be no reinforcements. They sacrificed their lives in service to their nation. Honoring them is both fitting and proper.

This idea of combat veterans honoring their fallen brothers in arms via the fine arts is something new and unique. It helps honor the fallen while providing meaningful and creative jobs for former combat veterans.

Veterans from VeteranArt.org under the guidance of renowned sculptor Greg Marra, who made and donated the Chris Kyle statue, are doing just that, honoring these two men in everlasting bronze; these two warriors immortalized the warrior spirit and military ethos—it is only fitting these two brothers in arms, close in life and death, be immortalized together in bronze for eternity, by their fellow combat veterans.

Mr. Woods said “Thank you for honoring my son in a bronze statue.”  Kate Doherty Glenns sister stated, “ she wishes us success and luck in the process, that she is so pleased the statue will help veterans.

VeteranArt.Org received the final graces they needed to start a statue of Tyrone Woods and Glenn Doherty.

Greg Marra, founder of VeteranArt.org, has enlisted the help of local Sarasota veterans, like Jason Collins, Army Military Intelligence and Michael Scelia former US Army forward observer, for the project. Mr. Marra has a pool of veteran talent, and he can hire more veterans as he is commissioned to do other projects. Marra is training US military veterans to represent themselves in the memorial process. Marra stated “Warriors honoring warriors in bronze for eternity is my life long mission.”

Marra, who sculpted the Chris Kyle Memorial Statue, has started the sculpting process and hired veterans to help sculpt this fitting tribute of these two warriors. “I’ve  run into more vets daily that wanted to pursue art and that understood the power of art than I would ever fathom; empowering them with fine arts training, and encouraging themselves as gallant warriors instead of victims is god’s work.” What a better tribute then to have brothers in arms, immortalize two of their own who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting life.

Jason Collins and Mike Scelia veteran artists have a pet name for the statue “Dueling machine guns, which they feel fits the statue because of its heavy guns and all the casings which lay at Tyrone’s and Glenn’s feet. They added that, “Veteran art is an amazing concept and gratitude is an understatement toward how we feel about Mr. Marra, his actions show that people actually care about us, and our service to this nation.”

Veteran Art/Sculpting Our Heroes is in need of donations to make this fitting tribute a reality. The cost of this memorial, fair market value, would be $85,000 total for two life-size statues to the bronze stage. More funding might be required to get these statues bronzed. These statues will employ up to four veterans, full time—Mr. Marra is donating his time and expertise as a thank you gesture to all veterans.

This is a groundbreaking organization. No other veteran organization has a renowned artist opening his studio-for free, donating his time and services, and paying veterans to come and learn how to sculpt without taking any money for himself-only for supplies; while simultaneously—those veterans are making memorials to other veterans who have died heroically serving or helping their own countrymen and women.

Donations can be made at: SculptingOurHeroes.com  or by calling the Veteran Art studio at (941) 993-1772 or cell (267) 885-9203 or via email: veteranartorg@gmail.com. NOTE: Donations are not tax deductible. 

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