A Texas teenager decided to create a touching tribute to his good friend who died by suicide while deployed on the U.S.-Mexico border in June. 17-year-old Cameron James met 21-year-old Army Pfc. Kevin Christian in Boy Scouts and the two became close friends.
When James learned that his friend took his own life, he was devastated and wanted to do something to honor his memory.
"He was just a role model for me," James told KTVT. "So I wanted to make sure he was missed by even the people who didn't know him."
James decided to mow a giant American flag into his front lawn. It took him four hours to create the massive flag. He used different blade settings to create the stripes and then used a weed-wacker to carve out the 50 stars.
James' mother Amy was proud of her son and told the news station it meant a lot to her because her father also served in the Army.
"I'm very proud of my son and his thoughtfulness," Amy said. "As the daughter of an Army man, the niece of a Navy man, and the granddaughter of an Air Force man, his memorial made me feel that he was honoring not only Kevin but all of the servicemen stationed at home and abroad."
If you're having suicidal thoughts and need immediate help coping, please call emergency services such as 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.