What does it take for a 14-year-old girl to raise over $100,000 for her community? In this deeply moving episode of This One Time in Kankakee, we sit down with Alexis McCullough and her mother, Cassandra, to discuss the journey behind the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument at Marcotte Park in Bourbonnais.

Following the sudden loss of her father, Colonel Mark McCullough, Alexis transformed her grief into a mission. This isn't your typical Eagle Scout story. From "secret meetings" with a mysterious advisor named "Voldemort" to navigating the "armpit of Illinois," Alexis and Cassandra share the raw, witty, and heartbreaking reality of life as a Gold Star Family.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The Logistics of Grief: How Alexis used her father’s military discipline to coordinate a massive community project.
• The "No Plan B" Mentality: Why Alexis refused to build a simple park bench and insisted on a $100,000 black granite monument.
• Kankakee's Spiderweb: The incredible way local businesses and residents rallied to "chisel away" at the final cost through donations of labor and materials.
• Full Circle Moments: The surprise presentation of a Ground Zero 9/11 flag and the emotional letter from the DFW firefighters who tried to save her father’s life.
• The Marble in the Box: Cassandra’s powerful metaphor for how grief changes over time, but never truly leaves.

Whether you are a scouting enthusiast, a military supporter, or a Kankakee local, this story of resilience, "embracing the suck," and building a lasting legacy will leave you inspired.

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