Bronze Bicycle Trash Collector

Louisville, Colorado

According to news reports at the time, John Breaux ("bro") was a paranoid schizophrenic when he moved from California to Colorado in 2000. Then he stopped taking his medication and became the "angel" and "treasure" of Louisville, his adopted hometown.

John told people that California was too dirty, so he set out to keep Colorado clean by riding his bike around Louisville, picking up roadside litter. He was known for his friendly personality and his big, callused hands, which he would wave at everyone.

The town pitched in and bought Breaux a bike helmet, but it didn't matter on January 30, 2009, when he was run over by a car and died. Louisville mourned, raised money, hired sculptor Dawn Record -- who had often encountered Breaux on his trash patrols -- and unveiled a life-size sculpture of him on the one-year anniversary of his death.

Parts of the bronze sculpture were molded from personal items found on Breaux when he was killed, including his watch, necklace chain, and his bike.