While attending a memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery, we spent time in the Visitors Center and saw The Lost Heroes Art Quilt, which is on permanent display. Nancy Hecker, a Gold Star Mother who lost her son in the line of duty, notes that the quilt artist used childhood photos of the soldiers. "When you see the pictures of these young men and women who went to war, you know, made the ultimate sacrifice for us, the young photos bring a renewed appreciation for those who are willing to volunteer to serve in our military." Many of the heroes on the quilt have been laid to rest at Arlington.

Over its two-year journey, the quilt made stops in 40 of the 50 states and was on display in 68 venues. The mission of the Lost Heroes Art Quilt project was to Honor our fallen heroes, Educate the public, Remember their sacrifices, Open hearts and minds, Exhibit across America and Support the families (acronym is HEROES).

The last stop for the quilt tour was September 11, 2011, when it arrived at the Visitors Center to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center.

The cemetery is the quilt's permanent home so that future generations can honor and remember the fallen, which, is the mission of the quilt project. No doubt, the quilt will continue to be a source of healing for families of soldiers killed in action.