By Fred M. Apgar
VFW Post 8870

On April 10, VFW Post 8870 sponsored a public forum at Lake Forest Park’s Third Place Commons regarding the Fallen Heroes Project, featuring founder and president Michael Reagan.

Mike, a portrait artist who lives and works in Edmonds, is combat veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who served in the Vietnam War. He began drawing portraits of fallen service members when a grieving widow asked him to draw a portrait of her husband who had been killed in Iraq. Mike, of course, agreed to draw the portrait and did so free of charge. Since that first experience nine years ago, Mike and his wife, Cheryl, have dedicated their lives to drawing portraits for all American and Coalition families who have lost a loved one in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. To date, he drawn over 3,200 portraits, all free of charge. He has brought untold comfort to grieving Gold Star family members. The Fallen Heroes Project was founded to help support what Mike refers to as his calling.

A highlight of the evening was when Mike unveiled, for the first time, a poster that contained the portraits he had recently drawn to honor the memory of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. Following the Newtown, Conn. tragedy, Mike reached out to the family members of the victims and provided each with a portrait of their loved one.

VFW Post 8870, of which Mike is a member, sponsored the forum to recognize the great personal sacrifices Mike and his family have made to provide love, support, comfort, and peace to the families of our Fallen Heroes.

Interested citizens who would like to know more about the Fallen Heroes Project or who would like to make a donation to this wonderful effort can contact Michael at his website, www.fallenheroesproject.org.