Arlington, TX – The Texas Rangers announced Monday plans for the creation of a statue that will honor Shannon Stone, a firefighter who fell to his death at a game last month.
The full-size bronze statue, tentatively to be named Rangers Fans, will depict Stone and his six-year-old son, Cooper, attending a Rangers game.
"We feel that this statue will be a most fitting tribute," said Rangers CEO and president Nolan Ryan. "It will not only serve to honor Mr. Stone's memory but also to recognize Rangers fans and baseball fans everywhere."
Stone fell from the stands on July 7 during a game against Oakland. He was reaching for a foul ball thrown his way by Texas left fielder Josh Hamilton in the second inning.
The statue is expected to be in place by next season and will likely be located outside the home plate gate of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
"We continue to be appreciative of Nolan Ryan and the Texas Rangers as we deal with the loss of Shannon," said Stone's widow, Jenny. "Shannon and Cooper had a special relationship, and we are touched and grateful that it will be memorialized at one of their favorite places. Our hope is that this statue will not be a symbol of our family tragedy but rather a reminder of the importance of a family's love - love of each other, love of spending time together, and love of the game."
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