Artist Roberto Marquez memorializes airmen killed at Dallas Executive Airport
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - He travels across the world to give grieving communities solace through art. While most people veer away from tragedy, Roberto Marquez runs toward it, paintbrush in hand. He erected his latest installment on the fence line of Dallas Executive Airport, where six airmen died Saturday while performing at the Wings Over Dallas World War II Airshow.
"Right away, I made a decision that I wanted to come and work on the memorial."
Marquez actually lives in Oak Cliff and was in the area the afternoon of the air show crash. He said he went home, gathered some lumber for a mural he's working on and knew he'd spend the rest of the weekend creating the memorial.
"This morning I finished with the other two names," he said.
Six crosses, each with a flag and flowers, now serve as a community memorial for the victims.
"It's always the opportunity to come and do something, and I think it helps. It really helps," he said.
Marquez has traveled and painted everywhere from Uvalde to Ukraine in the last five years working as a full-time artist. He said he felt it would be a disgrace not to create a memorial in his own backyard.
"I think it's a responsibility, not only as an artist but as a human being, that I feel people feel good, and it also makes me feel good doing it."
He doesn't know how many memorials he has created or how long this one will remain. Marquez is on to another one, but he hopes he's leaving something tangible and meaningful behind.
"I've been thankful for many people that come and say, 'We like what you do,' and that gives me strength to keep on doing it, over and over."