Katie's Wahl

I am not going to lie, I do not love this mural.  I am not into the Picasso "like" paintings.  This mural I like.  I hope too see it someday.  One of the things that amazes me about Kate's story is how many people have been touched by it.
I am not gifted in using my blog site.  If I knew how to use a pointer, it would be much easier.  In the picture above, it has the name of this mural.  It is, Katie's Wahl.  Above the lips there are three blue images.  Look at the long blue line to the left.  To the right of that in the box, it says, "Katie's Wahl."  Below is the story on how it came about.  The story appeared on the artist's flicker site and in the Oak Park newspaper.  I cannot read this article without tears.  It is hard for me to see and read about my brother's deep grief. 

The artist is, Jonathan Franklin.  This is the story.

So why the title ‘Katie’s Wahl’? An older man had been watching me work on the mural from across the street. After a short time he approached me and asked if he could speak to me. As climbed down the ladder I could see that he appeared to be somewhat distraught as if on the verge of tears. I asked him if he was all right and he apologized and seemed to be looking for the right words to reply. Then after a few moments he confided that his daughter had suffered a devastaing accident just a few days earlier and was currently in the hospital. I asked what happened and he told me. Apparently she had been injured in a diving accident and was now completely paralyzed. He kept apologizing for his obvious grief and I felt completely at a loss for words.
Then as he apologized again he made an unusual request. Somewhat embarrassed he asked me if I might be able to insert his daughter’s name somewhere in the mural. I vacillated for about half a second. "Of course," I said, "of course. Yes." He told me that her name was Katie. As he left I asked him what his last name was and he said Wahl. Katie Wahl.
So I carefully inscribed her first name at a spot about eye level. But as I studied it I realized that I should probably include her last name as well. And then as I looked at both names together something clicked. Suddenly the mural took on a whole new significance.
I don’t know this young woman but I decided to dedicate the mural to her. I decided to call it ‘Katie’s Wahl.’