Illinois National Guard Joins American Gold Star Families in Holiday Tree Lighting in Bloomington [Image 15 of 39]

BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL AIRPORT, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES

11.17.2025

Photo by Lt. Col. Bradford Leighton 

Joint Force Headquarters - Illinois National Guard Public Affairs

Miss. Kankakee Teen 2025 and Eagle Scout, Alexis McCullough, whose father, Army Col. Mark R. McCullough, died while serving his nation on Oct. 16, 2019, hugs Frances Maddox after McCullough's remarks during the American Gold Star Families’ Fallen Heroes Tree of Honor Tree Lighting Ceremony on Monday, Nov. 17, at Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington, Ill. “Six years ago my father unexpectedly passed away in October of 2019 while serving our country. I was only 11 when I realized the price of our freedom. My dad, (Col.) Mark McCullough, enlisted at age 18 and served in the Army until he passed away at the age of 51. He taught me the meaning of resilience and has been the inspiration behind my own call to service through Boy Scouts as an Eagle Scout and the Miss America Organization as I advocate for others,” she said. “Missing him doesn’t take away the joy he gave me. Instead, it reminds me of how lucky I was to be his daughter and how deeply he loved his family and his country. Being a Gold Star daughter has shaped my life in ways I didn’t expect. It has given me a story that is painful but also powerful. It has taught me courage, resilience, and the importance of keeping legacies alive. My dad’s service and sacrifice are not just parts of history, they are parts of me as an individual as well. Part of honoring him means sharing the love and that pride I have for our country with others, especially during moments like tonight.”

• Date Taken: 11.17.2025
• Date Posted: 11.26.2025 18:35
• Photo ID: 9411855
• VIRIN: 251117-A-OH563-7387
• Resolution: 3677x3461
• Size: 2.45 MB
• Location: BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL AIRPORT, ILLINOIS, US
• Hometown: KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS, US