Hendricks County Angel of Hope

Questions about Hendricks County Angel of Hope

The novel by Richard
Paul Evans that inspired
the Angel of Hope.

What is the Angel of Hope?

In Richard Paul Evans's 1993 novel, The Christmas Box, a young couple befriends their elderly employer. They learn about the child she lost decades earlier, and of a statue she erected in her daughter's memory in a nearby cemetery. The statue depicts a winged, childlike angel, with arms outstretched to Heaven.

After the novel's publication (and adaptation into a movie), grieving parents from throughout the U.S. traveled to Salt Lake City in hopes of seeing the Angel statue. Author Evans approached sculptors Ortho and Jared Fairbanks and asked them to design a new statue for the cemetery. Since then, identical Angels have appeared throughout the nation as places where parents who have lost children come to mourn and reach out to their own "little angels." To date, 72 Angels have been placed throughout the nation. Every December 6, the Angels serve as sites for vigils at which those children may be remembered.

What is Hendricks County of Angel of Hope?

Hendricks County Angel of Hope, Inc. is an independent, non-profit Indiana corporation that is working to place an Angel of Hope in Hendricks County, Indiana (which is immediately west of Indianapolis, and is part of the Indianapolis metropolitan area). Once the statue is in place, we will help to provide for the perpetual maintenance of the statue, and coordinate an annual December 6 vigil.

Is Hendricks County Angel of Hope a 501(c)(3) non-profit?

Yes! The IRS has approved our federal 501(c)(3) status, so contributions to our organization are deductible from federal income taxes to the extent allowed by law.

Who are the people behind the organization?

Our president is Scott Flood of Plainfield, our vice president is Joy Philip of Plainfield, and our Secretary/Treasurer is Roberta (Bobbi) Gray of Roachdale.

Why did they start this organization?

Bobbi is a Registered Nurse and a certified RTS Bereavement Coordinator who provides bereavement counseling for a regional hospital's childbirth center. She met Richard Paul Evans at a bereavement conference, learned of the Angel statues, and realized that the families she counseled would benefit from such a statue. Scott and Joy have extensive experience with community organizations, and when they learned about the statue, they agreed to work with Bobbi to make an Angel for Hendricks County a reality.

What will the statue cost?

We have estimated cost to purchase the statue, a suitable pedestal, plaques, and any necessary landscaping at approximately $20,000. Ongoing maintenance and administrative costs should be less than $1,000 annually. We have received enough donations to cover the cost of the statue, but are continuing to raise funds for the other needs.

What will the statue look like?

We will use the same bronze sculpture by Ortho and Jared Fairbanks that is located in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. It will be cast by the same foundry.

Has a site been selected?

We're pleased to announce that the Avon Town Council has given us permission to place the Angel in Town Hall Park, which is on U.S. 36, just behind the Town Hall. It is a beautiful, tranquil, dignified setting for the statue.

What is your timetable?

Our efforts began in October 2007, and we hope to have the Angel in place by December 2008.

Where may I find a copy of The Christmas Box?

The novel is available at most large bookstores, local libraries, or through online booksellers such as Amazon. We do not have copies for sale. It is a heartwarming, simple tale of parental love and the everyday miracles that often escape our notice, and the book has been a source of solace for many parents who have lost children.