The publication is reproduced in full below:
CELEBRATING KRISTY DUBINSKY'S ACHIEVEMENT
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HON. GUY RESCHENTHALER
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Friday, November 5, 2021
Mr. RESCHENTHALER. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Kristy Dubinsky, who selflessly painted portraits for the families of the 13 U.S. service members killed in evacuation efforts at the Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 26, 2021.
After learning of the suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan on August 26, 2021, Kristy Dubinsky immediately knew she needed to honor the 13 U.S. service members killed in that senseless act. An accomplished artist herself, Ms. Dubinsky was already working on another piece for an art show in Michigan. However, she dropped what she was working on to paint a portrait of each service member who gave their life that day.
Ms. Dubinsky, an art teacher at Elizabeth Forward High School specializing in military themes, said that ``a voice in my head just kept telling me to paint the 13.'' Kristy documented the entire process. She posted daily on her social media platforms for others to follow along. While recording the progress over the 13 days, a disabled former Marine, Shelly Frontera, saw what Kristy posted and traveled from Michigan to honor the 13 soldiers by accompanying each painting with a red, white bud vase, and blue rose.
Ms. Dubinsky's portraits depict 12 of the 13 in formal dress: Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David Espinoza, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover, Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Pichardo, Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, Navy Hospital Corpsman Maxton Soviak, and Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan Page. Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee is the only exception. Ms. Dubinsky chose to depict the iconic photo of her holding an Afghan baby as evacuation efforts continued.
Kristy's portraits are now part of the world's largest annual juried international art show, with 900 artists and thousands of visitors attending.
Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing the achievements of Kristy Dubinsky. Her work is exceptional and solidifies her reputation as a champion of the American service members in our region.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 195
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