Article by John Sanders
Professional Journalist
The humanitarian project Focus Comic honored and memorialized both living and fallen heroes as well as highlighting talent from autistic and special needs youth at its public ceremony and graduation event held on December 13th.
The venue, hosted by Its Sugar in the Westgate Entertainment District, saw attendance from city of Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo, and dignitaries from the Glendale Police Department, the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the United Sates Air Force. Seven special education teachers volunteered their time for this free Hero art program. Glendale PD and the AZDPS also provided service vehicles for attending chidlren to explore and play with their lights, sirens and speakers. Additionally, the heroes, parents and youth received gifts and a complimentary photoshoot courtesy of Focus comic photographer intern Ryker Helgeson.
Attending guests could view portrait artwork painted by Yvonne Wan, of Focus Comic, which honored the fallen heroes Gabriel Facio; Paul Shupe, Adam Cauthron, Anthony Mock, Brett Couture, Graham Hoffman, John E. Tomazin, Mark Keller, Max Sine, Scott Leatham, and Drew Wilcox. Wan personally gifted the portraits to the heroe’s families to honor their memory and offer comfort and healing.
During the graduation, Artists of the Year awards went to Focus comic students Carson Shuler, Vanessa Montiel and Moses Marshall. The runner-ups were Elora Montiel, Ezra Corbin, and Oron Mackey. Austin Frew was awarded a digital drawing device and scholarship from Yvonne Wan. Focus comic students come from all over the valley from Goodyear to Glendale and learn about art creation as well as liberty, justice, freedom and how public servants play a role in maintaining these ideals. The goal of Focus comic is for every participating autistic and special needs youth to see their full potential through art expression.
Everyone at the Focus comic team wishes people a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, as well as thanking these heroes for keeping people safe. For more information bout Focus comic, visit focuscomic.com or contact Yvonne Wan at [email protected].
Click here to view photos from the program. Click here for the graduation event photos.
Photo Credit: Ryker Helgeson, Focus comic neurodivergent photographer intern.
Film Credit: Yvonne Wan.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focuscomic/
