Exhibit honors Wisconsin's fallen heroes - WAOW - Newsline 9, Wausau News, Weather, Sports

The family of a Marshfield soldier who recently died in combat is remembering him in a new way.

They've worked to bring an exhibit to our area to honor fallen heroes in Wisconsin.

Last Christmas Day, Janice and John Altmann lost their son, Joe.

"When the doorbell rang, as soon as I peeked out the door, I saw two servicemen standing at our door, and I knew immediately why they were there," said John.

Staff Sgt. Joe Altmann, 27, was killed while serving in Afghanistan.

Now, the Altmanns are keeping his memory alive by bringing a traveling exhibit to UW-Wood County.

It honors Wisconsin's men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

"These faces say so much to you. They're the faces you see on the street every day. They're the faces you see in the hallways at the schools. They're the faces you see in the grocery store. Their story has to be told. If we stop talking about them, then they're truly gone," said Janice.

The Altmanns first saw the exhibit in July and decided to bring it to Marshfield.

"We started talking to the UW about where we could have it and how they could help and putting some of the pieces together," said Janice.

They hope it will help other families who have suffered the same loss.

"It was a good thing for us to see. It might not work for every family, but for us, it brought a sense of peace and a sense of comfort and a sense of unity with these families," said Janice.

The exhibit is open to the public, and it's a small reminder of the people who gave so much.

It will be on display at the UW-Wood County library until November 30.