Local first responder using art as therapy creates portraits of fallen EPS officers
A Spruce Grove first responder artist created a series of portraits in memory of the pair of Edmonton Police Service constables killed in the line of duty last week.
For the past year, Daniel Sundahl, a paramedic firefighter, has created an online memorial page complete with individual portraits for current and former first responders or military members worldwide who have died in the line of duty or because of service-related trauma.
Every day, he creates and releases one memorial portrait. Often they are requested by family, friends or co-workers.
On March 16, he created two portraits in honour of EPS officers Brett Ryan and Travis Jordan — a project that hit closer to home.
"Once I heard about what happened, I knew right away," Sundahl told CTV News Edmonton. "I needed to create these portraits."
"It's horrible. It's hard to describe. I was thinking, of course, of the two officers and their families," he added. "But then I was also thinking of the other emergency workers that were there that dealt with it, the hospital staff and everybody that's around an event like this."
Creating memorial portraits was part of his own healing journey, he explained. He doesn't charge for the artwork he creates.
"I started doing a lot of artwork for mental health as part of my own therapy," Sundahl said. "It's very therapeutic for myself."
Each portrait takes around an hour and a half to make, Sundahl says, using his digital pen to apply layers of drawing and painting to a photo.
Often he hears from families about how much having a portrait helps them to remember their lost loved one.
"I just hope it helps," Sundahl said. "This is kind of how I process it myself."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.