GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A stroke survivor is one of several veterans whose ArtPrize entry is featured in Veterans Memorial Park.
God Created Therapy and Free Flying is a series of illustrations by Aaron Russell, who used colored and watercolor pencils, watercolors and fine-tip markers to portray butterflies and other animals in a surrealist style.
The artwork — part of a larger, 56-page picture book illustrated by Russell and written by his son — is also representative of Russell's yearslong recovery from a stroke that robbed him of his ability to read, write, string together longer sentences and perform certain motor functions.
"Bliss," Russell said about the reality that his artistry has been accepted it into ArtPrize, the one of the world's largest public art competitions. "I praise the Lord."
In 2014, Russell's type 1 diabetes triggered a significant stroke, leaving him with blindness in the right eye, right side paresis and expressive aphasia. It also put him in a coma for more than a month, one doctors thought he wouldn't survive.
He did.
"This is our miracle. This is our miracle, right here," said Russell's mother, Norma, sitting next to her son as she and him were interviewed by FOX 17 on Friday.
"There were a lot of people praying for him. We thought, maybe, he'd be totally healed, but God had other plans," she said. "We've met a lot of people and are so thankful for everybody who has had a part in his life."
A veteran, Russell served in the U.S. Navy for six years and spent time on three different ships, the USS Belleau Wood, the USS Essex and the USS Kitty Hawk.
At the time of his stroke, he was working on a Master's degree in English at Cornerstone University.
"He loves butterflies, people, God and nature," Norma said. "Not necessarily in that order."
The title of Russell's ArtPrize entry — God Created Therapy and Free Flying — refers to how the veteran's recovery has been shaped by people who, by he and his family's own belief, were placed there by God to do good work.
"We believe God prompted people to do their jobs, whatever they may be," Norma said. "God prompted therapists, doctors, nurses, janitors, all kinds of people who affected Aaron and whom Aaron affected."
"Thank the Lord," Aaron said.
Grand Rapids
