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A local artist showed his support for nurses and other medical professionals recently, and his work will now be on display at Our Lady of the Angels Hospital in Bogalusa.

On Thursday, Anthony St. Philip presented the hospital with his framed painting titled “Heroes Cry Too.” The piece of art illustrates a nurse with a mask with tears trickling down from her eyes, along with images of several tombstones with the year “2020” etched upon them.

“I believe that all medical professionals have been important in this pandemic, but I really wanted to pay special honor to the nurses,” St. Philip said. “I think they are the true heroes of today.”

St. Philip said he showed the nurse as crying, in order to symbolize the special relationships that they have with their patients. He noted that he has had treatments for cancer and other ailments in the past, and has seen his nurses shed a tear while on the job.

Rene Ragas, CEO of the hospital, said that he is grateful for the artistic donation.

“We appreciate it and we agree that our nurses are real heroes,” he said. “They make personal sacrifices every day.”

Ragas said that he would bring the painting to the hospital’s nursing leadership team, and allow them to decide where it should be displayed in the hospital. He noted that he hoped it would be in a place where the nurses could see it, as they come to work each day.

St. Philip said he was thankful to The Country Frame and Gift Shop for donating the frame.

“Once I explained what it was for, they offered the frame free of charge,” he said. “I really appreciated that.”

St. Philip said that he enjoys painting as a personal hobby, but felt drawn to do something special for others with this latest piece of work.