In particular, she said, "The cost to us."
Spivey, president of the Azalea Chapter of the American Gold Star Mothers, said the Lost Heroes Art Quilt symbolizes the fallen military men and women who have made contributions to their nation's cause in the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns.
Those include Michael K. Spivey, her son.
"He was a soldier every year for Halloween," she said on Saturday afternoon inside the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. "That's all he ever wanted to be."
Michael K. Spivey, a 20-year-old Army specialist, was among 15 soldiers and three civilian contractors who died April 6, 2005, in a helicopter crash near Ghazni in Afghanistan.
His mother fears that those who lost their lives after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks will be forgotten. For her, the long black quilt stitches together the reality of ultimate courage and dedication to country.
The Gold Star Mothers form a sorority no woman would ever want to join. The only qualification for membership: losing a child in military service.
"It's just very important that we don't forget," Spivey said. "Seems to me, people forget so easily. It puts a face on it."
The Lost Heroes Art Quilt is scheduled to hang inside the museum lobby through Saturday. It will then be taken to the Capitol building in Raleigh where it will be placed on exhibit.
On Saturday, members of the Rolling Thunder Chapter One N.C. motorcycle club escorted a couple of Gold Star Mothers up Interstate 95 as they brought the quilt to Fayetteville from Columbia, S.C.
At 2:45 p.m., a procession of 18 motorcycles and two vehicles completed the trip, cruising around the circle in front of the Airborne and Special Operations Museum. Club members unloaded the 15-foot-long quilt and its display in separate boxes, and toted them inside before setting it all up.
Then, 30 or so from the entourage mostly stood and admired it.
"It stands for not only these people," said 63-year-old Fred Chrisman, as he peered at the faces on the material, "but people we know - in Vietnam, like in my case. They didn't have the opportunity to have a full life. They made the ultimate sacrifice."
"Beautiful quilt," one woman blurted out once it was unveiled. "A lot of work in that. Absolutely beautiful."
The work of artist Julie Feingold, the quilt features a slain soldier from all 50 states. They are represented by their childhood photographs.
"It's about everybody," said Lorie Southerland, who lives in Sanford. "That's what the quilt is about - it's just representing everybody."
A Gold Star Mother herself, she lost her son, Michael Rodriguez, at 20. he and eight other soldiers were killed when two trucks exploded on April 23, 2007, in an outpost in As Sadah, Iraq.
Jim Hollister serves as Rolling Thunder's 50-year-old chairman of the board. Even though some might regard them as a wild-looking bunch in their black leather biker gear, don't call them a motorcycle group to his face. Hollister is quick to point out that Rolling Thunder is a POW/MIA awareness group.
Most are veterans.
They share a close relationship with the Gold Star Mothers.
So, when the mothers asked the bikers from the local chapter to lead them here with the quilt, these old vets kick-started their chrome and leather rides with a swagger of patriotic pride.
"This is to honor all the service members since 9/11 who give their lives in war - (Operations) Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom," Hollister said. "It's important that people know that and come see it."
Hours for the Airborne & Special Operations Museum are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
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