A Portrait of a Boy
Zachariah by Michael Reagan
Recently I was gifted the most remarkable thing; a portrait of my son, Zachariah.
There is a man, by the name of Michael G. Reagan, an internationally recognized artist who has an amazing heart and an amazing talent. I heard of Michael's work some years ago. He has drawn over 4500 portraits of fallen soldiers, providing them to surviving families, free of charge.
He has also provided portraits of children lost to violence in schools, including all victims of Columbine, Sandy Hook, and the many other horrific school shootings. He is working currently on the most recent Florida victims.
Michael lives in the same corner of the world as I do and our paths have crossed a few times. He drew my portrait, which hangs in my studio, many years ago, and a few years back attended one of my Fall Harvest parties which was a military theme, honoring our men and women in uniform.
After I lost Zack, Michael wrote to me and asked me to send him some photos of my son, he chose one that I think best captured Zack's spirit; in it he is wearing his green beanie, snowboarding jacket, and a mysterious smile.
Michael visited me at the farm recently and presented me with Zacky's portrait, which brought me to my knees. I am eternally grateful to Michael for this gift, and for the abundant generosity of his heart.