A Hendersonville woman has made a difference in the lives of police officers with her ability to draw and caring heart.
Nicole Pulliam knew she had to do something.
Wife of a Hendersonville police officer, she's seen first hand how difficult the job of an officer can be. She's heard the stories and seen the heartache of everyday field work.
She's a stay-at-home mother who home schools her four children. She realized, however, she could help offiers out simply by drawing.
"This is kind of my way of being a part of it too," said Pulliam.
In the last year, she has started the Fallen Heroes Project. She finds stories of police K9s or mounted patrol who have lost their lives and she draws pictures to honor those lost officers.
"With how things are these days, I would rather be helping these guys cope with a loss of a family member like this than selling portraits for a thousand dollars a piece," she said.
In 2010, Pulliam drew Bullet.
Bullet was the K9 partner of Hendersonville Police Officer Robert Buttry. They worked together for several years, until cancer took Bullet's life.
"[His death] was really hard," Officer Buttry said through tears. "It's one of those times where you have to look at what's best for them."
But Officer Buttry had one thing. The drawing of Bullet, created years before his death.
"I think it was one of those star struck, meant to be things," he said. "Nicole was placed into my life to do this for me, to provide this service for me and didn't even know she was doing it."
Nicole and her family have traveled to Houston to present a picture of Chalotte, a horse killed when she was hit by a cement truck. She is currently working on a portrat of Hans, a Urichsville Police K9 who died after a battle with cancer.
"Lots of times I think of what the animal went through but most times and the reason why I'm doing this is I think about what the partner, handler went through," she said.
Pulliam also hopes to eventually donate money for better training and equipment for the police K9s. If you'd like to donate, you can access her website here.
