BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Under a large American flag in downtown Bakersfield, visitors can step into a memorial unlike most others, the Portrait of a Warrior Gallery, a growing collection of hand-painted portraits honoring local service members who made the ultimate sacrifice after 9/11.

“You’re not human if you can’t … if you can go through here for the first time anyway and not come out with a few tears,” said Lili Marsh, the gallery’s founder.

Marsh’s vision became reality on Monday, Sept. 10, 2018, when the gallery opened as a small room. Today, it has expanded into a tribute featuring nearly 30 paintings and continues to grow. It is only the second gallery of its kind in the nation.

“Obviously look at the portraits that say so much about each individual and we get to know them. The public gets to know them. That would never happen if it weren’t for this,” Marsh said.

Each portrait is surrounded by details that reflect the service member’s life beyond the uniform, Marsh said.

“Well if you can see behind me each portrait has like many portraits around them and that will tell you something about that service member without even knowing them. This one right here, you know he liked to play lacrosse. This one over here, he was polo and so on and so forth,” she said.

While the gallery serves as a memorial, it is also designed to educate. Students often visit, and Marsh said she has seen young people moved by what they learn.

“I can remember our first few Friday events that we did and we’d have a lot of young people come in here and I’d be thinking they don’t care about this and they’d walk through and they’d be up there reading a bio and tears coming down their face and that moves somebody I think that’s the reward and that you’re changing someone by their experience here,” Marsh said.

Admission to the gallery is always free, and volunteers are available to help guide visitors through the exhibits and the stories behind the portraits.

“The families know by having these portraits hung here it’s a memorial that everyone is going to see. Everyone is going to know their child. And that’s amazing,” Marsh said.

The Portrait of a Warrior Gallery is looking for volunteers. Those interested can call 661-479-5095.