To honor and remember the legacy of “Freedom,” who passed away March 29, a statue of Georgia Southern University’s beloved bald eagle mascot was unveiled Friday afternoon.
Freedom had been a part of the Georgia Southern community since 2004, when he was found knocked out of a nest in Maitland, Florida, and permanent injury to his beak prevented his release into the wild.
A ceremony Friday at the Gene Bishop Fieldhouse was held to reveal the statue, which will be placed in front of Paulson Stadium, next to the statue of Erk Russell.
All facets of the project were done in consultation with Steve Hein.
Hein, executive director of the Center for Wildlife Education at Georgia Southern, helped make Freedom not only part of Georgia Southern with flights before kickoff of Georgia Southern football games at Paulson Stadium, at graduations and at the Lamar Q Ball, Jr. Raptor Center, but bringing the iconic raptor into local schools and events all around the community.
At Friday’s ceremony, David Ball recalled when Hein first brought the idea of Georgia Southern acquiring a bald eagle.
“Steve walked into my restaurant back in 1990 or the first part of 1991 and said, ‘David, what do you think about having an eagle at Georgia Southern?’ And, you know, at the time, this was 35 years ago, I said, ‘Hell, that’d be great.’ That would really be neat. So, we started from there.
“We applied to the National Wildlife Association about getting a live eagle for Georgia Southern … We were on the waiting list for 13 years for Freedom. And when we got Freedom in 2004, that was a real big celebration.”
Biologist and falconer Steve Layman recalls some of former Georgia Southern University live mascot Freedom’s more adventurous pre-game flights at the unveiling of Freedom’s statue at Paulson Stadium on Friday, Sept. 12. Layman was instrumental in the training of Freedom along with Steve Hein.
– photo by SCOTT BRYANT/staff
Biologist and falconer Steve Layman recalls some of former Georgia Southern University live mascot Freedom’s more adventurous pre-game flights at the unveiling of Freedom’s statue at Paulson Stadium on Friday, Sept. 12. Layman was instrumental in the training of Freedom along with Steve Hein.
– photo by SCOTT BRYANT/staff
After each home game, Hein would remain with Freedom on the field at Paulson until the last person who wanted a photo with the eagle, or just to see him, had left. At Friday’s event, he told one story about how much Freedom meant to one woman.
“I was walking off the football field, and I kind of noticed that it looked like there
was someone moving towards me. And she started walking faster, and I looked over my shoulder, and I realized she’s coming a little bit hot, and that’s okay.
“And then I realized she was speaking Spanish and she got closer. She was weeping, she was crying. And as she approached me, I turned to greet her and she went up to Freedom and she just kissed him right on the wing.
“And behind her was this young woman who came up and I just immediately said ‘What did I do? I’m so sorry, what happened? Why is she crying?’ And folks, she said, she’s not crying for anything that you did. She is from Honduras and she wants to be a U.S. citizen. That was the power of Freedom. That’s what he meant to so many.”
According to a release from Georgia Southern, the restoration and construction of the statue and pedestal was an ongoing project managed by the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art. Landscaping for its installation was completed by the Division of Facilities Planning, Design & Construction and Dabbs Williams General Contractors.
Freedom connected to people. He made them smile. He reminded everyone that our traditions at Georgia Southern are something truly special. Steve’s care, dedication, and friendship allowed Freedom to thrive and inspire us all.