Michael Reagan from Edmonds has returned from his trip where he received the Civilian Medal of Honor in Washington D.C.
Reagan was recognized for his incredible work with the "Fallen Heroes Project," an effort where he draws portraits of fallen soldiers. Since the project began Reagan has drawn more than 4200 of the men and women who have died in combat in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Reagan said receiving this award was one of the greatest honors of his life. He accepted the honor alongside Medal of Honor recipients at a ceremony in Washington D.C.
"Before you leave today, pinch me," Reagan said of the experience. "Is this real because I don't know?"
Reagan said despite the exceptional he learned about the real mission for his trip when he arrived at Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery. Section 60 is the final resting place for veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"We were all looking at each other like, 'Are you ready for this?' And of course none of us were," Reagan said. "And then I looked up."
When Reagan looked up he saw names, and when he saw names, he saw the faces of the men and women he had drawn.
"What I did was I went to the gravestone of every one of the people I recognized and I put my hand on them and I said hello," Reagan said. "I realized that all of those people were waiting for me to come there to see them."
Reagan said that was his first trip to Arlington and his first visit to Washington D.C. He says he will be forever impacted by that opportunity. Reagan was honored alongside Jon Meis, the young man who stepped in and disarmed the shooter during the school shooting at Seattle Pacific University.
Still photographs in this story are courtesy of Trevor K. Chan.
