DOVER, DE.- When you step inside the Meditation Pavilion at Dover AFB, you emerge under the dappled canopy of the Freedom Oak, a bronze sculpture of an oak tree that towers ten feet tall and eight feet in diameter. Skylights in the cathedral ceiling provide natural light that filters through the lattice-like structure of the leafy bronze canopy. Thrusting up from a black granite plinth in the center of the room, the sculpture provides a peaceful embrace and a steadying presence to those who enter.

The Freedom Oak was placed inside the Meditation Pavilion at the Fisher House for Families of the Fallen on Dover Air Force Base.

On May 23rd, Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by multiple mission partners and leadership members, as well as representatives of the Fisher House Foundation, who commissioned the sculpture for the pavilion.

The dedication ceremony began with comments from Senior Airman Carrisa Hosein, Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations Fisher House for Families of the Fallen manager, “We gather today to dedicate this comforting space to the families of fallen service members and to honor the hard work and dedication of the individuals that dreamt, designed, coordinated, facilitated and led the construction and installation of this magnificent bronze tree.”

The sculpture was conceptualized, designed, and created by Texas artist Deran Wright, in collaboration with the skilled artisans at Schaefer Art Bronze foundry of Arlington, Texas, and Choice Stone Granite. The primary mission of the Fisher House Foundation is to build comfort homes where military & veteran families can stay free of charge while a loved one is in the hospital.

These homes are located at military and VA medical centers around the world. More than 34,000 families were hosted at Fisher Houses just in 2024.

However, the Fisher House at Dover AFB serves a more somber mission: lodging for families of fallen soldiers awaiting the return of the remains of their loved ones killed overseas.

The Meditation Pavilion is adjacent to the Fisher House of the Families of the Fallen. The pavilion provides a quiet place for families to gather, pray, and reflect during their stay at the Fisher House. The pavilion is used as a gathering place for families and is the first and only one of its kind.

Deran Wright has been creating award winning bronze sculptures for decades, working primarily in figurative realism. The artist cast his first sculpture in bronze at the age of 17, sparking a lifelong passion. Wright’s career has included a sculpture unveiled by George Bush at the White House for Education Week, a sculptor’s award from the prestigious National Sculpture Society, and numerous commissions from major corporations and organizations. He has placed sculptures across the globe, for patrons both public and private.

The Fisher House Foundation selected Wright for the project after seeing his initial concept sketches for the project.

“Working with the Fisher House Foundation has been a rewarding experience,” Wright said. “Once the design was selected, they were very respectful of the process.” Wright created the tree in his home studio. The hundreds of leaves that make up the canopy were individually sculpted in clay over a foam mockup.

Schaefer Art Bronze, a family-owned Texas foundry that has been in operation for 50+ years, was entrusted with guiding the original sculpture through the lost wax casting process and installation. Wright says the foundry and their experienced team were critical in solving the technical and engineering problems of bringing his vision to reality. The artist and foundry team worked together closely over a period of months as the Freedom Oak took shape.

Describing his inspiration for the sculpture, Wright said, “An oak tree symbolizes strength, and courage. It has roots that spread way down into the earth, but has branches that stretch up to the sky. It is a rooted symbol that also stretches up toward things that we can't really know about; it's a connection between the Earth and Heaven, it's almost a universal symbol to al cultures.”

The artist believes that this latest commission is perhaps the most important work he has created to date. “The context of the setting lends this piece a gravity beyond most sculptures. There is a sacred quality to the space.”

The ceremony concluded with remarks from Lt. Col. Crystal Glaster, AFMAO Deputy Commander. “These families come to us in the most difficult times of their lives, some numb, some in shock and disbelief, but all very aware that their life will be forever changed,” Glaster explained, motioning towards the sculpture. “Our hope is this piece reminds them to look up and keep moving forward. There are new branches, new leaves, and more blooming that is yet to come, but they are anchored by the memory of their loved ones.”