Born in Oakland, CA, to an Italian Mother and an Italian-American father, Mario Chiodo’s artistic prowess was readily apparent by the innocent age of two when he would draw on any surface he could reach including bedroom walls, and dig up clay from the backyard to sculpt faces. By age 12, his teachers recognized his skill and placed him in an innovative art school where Mario’s imagination was piqued by learning about Classical masters Michelangelo and Rodin. His leap as a young adult into the professional art world took place in the Halloween industry where he found tremendous success and unwittingly developed a business. When the consumer product schedule allowed, Mario began sculpting the likenesses of extraordinary individuals who had inspired him throughout his life such as Abraham Lincoln and Mother Teresa, with breathtaking reality. Shortly thereafter, he received several art commissions such as the giant bas-relief panels that depicted the history of musical genre that melded into American jazz and commemorative works about indigenous people. Mario became captivated by the power of transmitting history through sculpture. When the terrorist’s attacks of 911 happened on US soil, Mario yearned to use his creative ability to unify people, inspire conversation and compassion, and shed light on truthful shared history. He decided to let go of his consumer products business entirely so he could focus his attention on creating vivid, soulful, educational and accessible works of art. From this vision, the Remember Them Monument was born. Thanks to the donors who aligned with the mission of Remember Them, the monument was completed after twelve years of perseverance and had its final dedication in May of 2013.