Titled “My Hero, My Friend,” Norris’ newest statue is a life-size bronze sculpture of a military working dog wearing a Purple Heart, mourning the loss of its two-legged companion.

“I’ve always had an affection for animals, but the bond between a military dog and its partner is on a whole other level,” Norris said in a press release.

This sculpture is meant to honor the bravery and dedication of a military service dog to its human handler, tugging at the heartstrings of passersby. The sculpture will reside at Veterans Memorial Park in Trophy Club, Texas, inside the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

“It’s moving to see people cry when they see my sculpture,” Norris added of the reactions to the sculture.

Military working dogs have gone by all manner of moniker throughout U.S. military history, including K-9 Corps and “war dogs.” In various combat eras, they served as guards, messengers, mascots and scouts, according to an Army book on military veterinary services.

As operations in Afghanistan and Iraq ramped-up, so too did the U.S. military’s efforts to build a canine program.

“Because of the growing threat of improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan and Iraq, mine detection training also resumed,” the book reads. “Dogs became members of forward deployed teams, served with airborne units, and were transported by helicopters when needed.”

Norris’ sculpture isn’t the first honoring combat canines, however. In 2008, Congress approved the Military Working Dog Teams National Monument, which was unveiled in 2013 at Joint Base San Antonio — Lackland.

“Humans are continually rediscovering that technology cannot match many canine senses and other inherent abilities, and they also realize that dogs continue to remain loyal even as equipment and conflicts evolve around them,” according to the book.

The memorial has a planned cost of about $40 million, and current law requires that 100 percent of funding be raised prior to initial groundbreaking, according to the National Desert Storm Memorial Association.

But as the end of 2019, proponents have raised only about $9 million.

Ambassador of the State of Kuwait, H.E. Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber AlSabah, announced Kuwait’s contribution of $10 million to assist with the memorial’s funding, according to an association press release on Feb. 24, 2020.

Al-Sabah emphasized the importance of the memorial serving as a reminder to past, present and future generations of the bravery by those lost in the liberation of Kuwait.

“This lead donation by the Government of Kuwait is an important validation of the historical importance of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, and is a display of the deep, special, and lasting friendship between our two countries” said Scott Stump, the association’s CEO and president. “We are honored and humbled by this tremendous show of support.”

Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield became a historical and crucial moment for the international community, and the memorial is to serve as a reminder of the importance of this operation.

In response to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, U.S. President George H.W. Bush authorized the use of ‘all necessary means’ in fighting against Iraq in November that same year.

Desert Storm began Jan. 17, 1991. More than 500,000 American troops deployed and about 300 died.

U.S. forces were successful in pushing Iraq forces out of Kuwait, expelling them from the region, resulting in international sanctions on Iraq, and significantly weakening Iraq military forces.

But the war still lacks memorial recognition.

The conceptual design of the memorial is two curved, dune-like, granite wall forms enclosing both an inner space and water feature that commemorates the soldiers who liberated Kuwait, architect Randy Schumacher of CSO Architects told Military Times.

Located next to the Lincoln Memorial at the intersection of Constitution Avenue and 23rd Street in Washington D.C., the geometry of this memorial is symbolic of General Schwarzkopf’s Left Hook battle plan.

The main wall will depict elaborately carved images that honor the courage, service, and sacrifice of those who fought to liberate Kuwait.

The second wall will represent the significant shift in the relationship between the U.S. and the military post Desert Storm, Schumacher told Military Times.

“This Memorial will ensure that Americans and the rest of the world remember the important historical conflict that liberated the people of Kuwait,” CEO Scott Stump said in an email to Military Times.

“This legacy lives on today, positively impacting everyone who wears the uniform,” said Stump.

Those continuing to push for the memorial have hopes of completion by 2021, marking 30 years since the war’s end, according to News Now Omaha.

Volunteering with Veterans Community Project, a Kansas City-based organization that supports homeless veterans, Mahomes has assisted in building tiny homes for struggling veterans in the greater Kansas City area for several years.

One of the project’s initiatives is a community of 49 tiny homes built to get down-on-their-luck veterans off the streets. As this effort was getting off the ground, Mahomes helped build some of the first 13 homes finished in 2018, We Are the Mighty reported in Nov. 2018.

“It’s awesome. Just to be a part of this with Community America and to be able to come out here and help out some veterans of our country is something that’s truly special. And they’re doing a lot of great work here, and hopefully we can help out a little bit today,” Mahomes told Fox4KC.

Along with these 240- to 350-square-foot homes, incoming homeless veterans are provided with everything they need, from utilities to food. With this support, veterans are able to transition to permanent housing and begin to get back on their feet.

While he avoided injury by skipping the heavy lifting, Mahomes did small deeds that added up to a big difference in the community.

This volunteer work is separate from his personal charity ‘15 and the Mahomies.’ Established in 2019, Mahomes’ foundation focuses on aiding underprivileged children by supporting 15 different local youth charities.

In November 2019, the Foundation hosted its first gala where 15 grants of $15,000 were donated to 15 Kansas City youth charities, a total of $225,000.

With less than two weeks until Super Bowl Sunday, the Kansas City community that he has dedicated his time to is ready to cheer on Mahomes as he leads the team into its final game of the season.

“The community shows so much love for all of us at the Chiefs,” Mahomes told Fox4KC. “So for me, any time I can have the opportunity where I can come out here and give back to them is something that I try to do and try to be a part of.”