Dead tree turns into beautiful memorial "No More"

An Art Sculpture For ALL Veterans - "NO MORE"
CNN
By DaElmersBack Posted October 27, 2013
Iron Mountain, Michigan 75

CNN PRODUCER NOTE
DaElmersBack watched as a local artist, Charles Hamilton, unveiled his latest: a statue honoring an injured Iraq War veteran outside the man’s home in Iron Mountain, Michigan, on Saturday. The statue was created for Army National Guard Spc. Donnie Jokinen, who was deployed in Iraq from 2007 to 2008 as an IED hunter, said his mother. She says her son was hit by five bombs, and came home injured. He now uses a cane, as he has pain throughout his body, and suffers from some memory loss.

“A few times you could see Donnie standing silently, deep in thought. He lost many friends in Iraq, that is one thing he can't ever forget and it haunts him,” observed Asselin. The iReporter met the Jokinen family through his involvement with the local Patriot Guard Riders, a group which attends the funerals of fallen members of the armed forces, as well as homecoming celebrations for veterans.

- zdan, CNN iReport producer
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