A statue honoring fallen Chicago Police Officer Ella French was unveiled Sunday on what would have been her 34th birthday.

"I could not have imagined a better birthday gift for her," said Elizabeth French, Ella French's mother.

Ella French was fatally shot, and her partner, Carlos Yanez, Jr., was critically injured during a traffic stop in 2021.

"I look at her, and I want to touch her," Ella French's mother said. "The only thing better would be to have her in person. She is beyond beautiful."

Artist Erik Blome, who created the life-size bronze statue that now sits at Wentworth Park, said he wanted to create the connection Ella French had with people.

The statue depicts French, who loved animals, alongside a dog. The adjacent dog park was also dedicated as the "Ella French Dog Friendly

See Full Page