Liberty Art Works Monument Memorializes Fallen MO Firefighter

Liberty Art Works sculpted a life-size bronze monument honoring a St. Louis County firefighter who died in the line of duty.

City of Maplewood firefighter paramedic Ryan Hummert fatally fell in the line of duty on July 21, 2008 when a gunman intentionally lit a fire and then ambushed his fire crew when they arrived. It was Hummert’s first day on the job.

Liberty Art Works, a firefighter-owned business, was awarded the contract to create the monument. Father and son artists, Robert Daus Sr., a retired St. Louis firefighter, and Robert Daus Jr., a captain with the Maryland Heights, MO, Fire District, vowed to create a statue worthy of his memory.

“Being a local art work company, and a family of firefighters, we wanted to work on this project from the very beginning,” Daus Jr. said. “We had a real connection to Ryan Hummert.”

The project took almost a year to complete as the Daus’ worked closely with Hummert’s mother, Jackie, to create a realistic monument. During that time, they learned that Hummert achieved his childhood dream to serve as a firefighter.

They meticulously re-created Hummert’s face utilizing pictures that spanned several years. “We had to sculpt his face with a serious pose, but he was always smiling in his photos,” Daus Jr. recalled of the work to create the fine details of the monument.

After creating the sculpted design in clay, they molded it for the final bronze monument.

The six-foot tall monument, which weighs close to 700 pounds, depicts Hummert in a firefighting pose. It was unveiled at Ryan Hummert Memorial Park on the anniversary of Ryan’s death.

Robert Daus Jr., whose fire department is also located in St. Louis County, had the opportunity to talk about the journey of creating the statue in clay to its final casting in bronze. 

“In the beginning of this project I loosely knew Ryan, meaning I knew he was a brother firefighter and that he had fallen senselessly, but along the way I got to know what a great person he really was from his family, friends, and fellow firefighters stories.”  Daus Jr. said.  “Now I don’t see Ryan’s statue as a memorial, but rather an inspiration to all. You have Ryan standing tall, Ryan standing proud and doing what he was called to do.”

During the dedication, Daus Sr. presented the Hummert family with the sculpting tools they used to shape and carve the statue.

Liberty Art Works is currently working on a veteran’s statue to honor and salute our military’s finest as they continue to design and sculpt memorial for fire, police, EMS and military clients.

For more information visit http://www.libertyartworks.com/