Idaho Veterans Garden needs help in one final push to honor Carrie French with a statue

Benjamin Victor is a world renowned sculpture and you may have noticed some of his work around town including the statue of Lyle Smith at Albertsons stadium and a statue that sits on top of the hill at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery.

"It just means so much to me as a sculpture that I can use my talents to honor our veterans," said Victor.

Carrie French was killed in Iraq in 2005 when her convoy got hit by a roadside bomb, the 19-year-old Caldwell native was serving in the Idaho National Guard.

Benjamin Victor is working on a statue that depicts Carrie French sitting with a friend in a moment of piece on a pile of sandbags before the next mission.

"It's the Idaho Women’s Veterans Memorial and Carrie’s story really capsulates what it means to be a veteran and what it means to serve in Idaho," said Victor. "The courage and bravery she showed during her service stands for every woman who has put on the uniform and served.”

Veteran Danny Pugmire remembers when they brought Carrie home from Iraq, he got out of his car to stand at attention as the procession traveled down the freeway, but something else happened.

"For some reason when they went by me something was telling me really you think you are honoring Carrie," said Pugmire. "You piece of crap get back into your car, don’t stand at attention on the side of the road until you get your life together."

Danny got his life together and in 2013 he started the Idaho Veterans Garden in Caldwell where each flower box honors a veteran and the plan will be to put the statue of Carrie in the middle of the garden.

"There are only nine statues in the United States of female veterans by themselves and Carrie was the epitome of camaraderie," said Pugmire. "Everybody that I come into contact that knew her Carrie was her best friend and I kind of have to chuckle because she has so many best friends."

One of those best friends is Melissa McCarter, she served with Carrie in the Idaho National Guard and Melissa's marble story helped inspire Benjamin Victor to create this piece of art.

"Oh man if you read that story, I was just in tears you look at the two and there are pictures of Carrie and Marisa," said Victor. "There is a bond there that will never be broken even after death and so it is just a beautiful thing even in a sad story."

I can't read marbles without tearing up either, but here is where the Idaho Veterans Garden is at in terms of this project which has been years in the making.

The John Borbonus Memorial Foundation will match $50,000 and Fred Conworth of CDI will match $25,000. The garden has started a campaign to raise $75,000 in 75 days and if they can do it the statue will be transformed from clay into bronze.

"We need to honor Carrie and we need everyone’s help," said Pugmire. "So please help us, we need your help."

If you are interested in donating or learning more about the project click here.