Career firefighter and paramedic, Airforce firefighter, flight medic, movie set medic and film producer – these are all hats Timothy Lampros wore before bringing his dream of America’s Wall of Honor to life. The traveling wall of nine handcrafted seals is on display at the 2024 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa.

The nine seals recognize active military, police, first responders and veterans. Each seal consists of hundreds of pieces of stainless steel, powder coated with paint and welded together in multiple layers. The seals are mounted on acrylic glass with LED lighting.

Brett Nowak, a young farmer from Frost, Minn., said the Wall of Honor was not something he expected to see when he came to the farm show. “It made me think about the sacrifices other people have made so that we can keep farming,” he said.

“I thought the wall was really incredible, and I felt a lot of pride for my country while looking at it,” echoed Sophia Kiehm of Rake, Iowa.

Dream to reality

While Lampros worked in film production, he began tinkering with glass, light and steel.

He started making police and firefighter badges out of steel and putting them on lighted glass to give away as gifts. He eventually began making bigger memorials for cities like Dallas, San Francisco and Los Angeles, including the LAPD memorial wall.

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Instead of building more memorials in buildings where people need to travel to see them, Lampros had the vision to take the wall where the people are.

“They don’t expect it,” Lampros explains. “We see the same thing here at the farm show – people don’t know what they’re walking into. It’s overwhelming, and it’s breathtaking.”

That’s the key moment according to Lampros. It’s the opportunity to connect with visitors to give them a message.

“People have busy lives, busy communities and busy families. But there’s a part of society that has sacrificed a lot for us to do what we do,” he says.

Art on display

After three years of design work, Lampros decided to move from Los Angeles to Omaha in 2019 to begin building the seals. The project took four more years to build and was completed in 2023.

America’s Wall of Honor stands 10 feet tall and is 60 feet long. It’s made of steel, stainless steel and glass and weighs in at a whopping 20,000 pounds.

“I never fancied myself as an artist,” Lampros says. “I’ve had to learn when people tell me I’m a fantastic artist, I just need to say thank you.”

Passing on patriotism

In addition to honoring those who have served our country, AWOH passes on patriotism to the next generation.

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“My purpose is kids,” says Lampros. He says he has witnessed a decline of patriotism in kids across the country. Through the wall, he wants the next generation to understand what people have sacrificed in the past so that Americans can enjoy their lives.

Lampros says most people don’t understand the sacrifices of those who have served – especially how much it has a lasting effect. He says every single day, 22 veterans, 3 police officers and 2 firefighters commit suicide.

Despite his tireless work and artistry, Lampros doesn’t take ownership of the wall. “It’s not my wall – it’s America’s Wall of Honor,” he says.

Where to see America’s Wall of Honor

If you’re headed to the 2024 Farm Progress Show, find AWOH in the Northwest Quadrant at lot 136 between Case IH and Kuhn. Take a break from the heat in the air-conditioned tent to view the seals and watch the program.

The wall was previously unveiled to the public in Omaha, Neb., and Branson, Mo. The display at the Farm Progress Show kicks off the Fall 2024 Farmers First Tour. Following the Farm Progress Show, AWOH will be on display at the 2024 Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Neb.